Drimmelen mayor faces another serious threat after earlier gay bashing incident

Drimmelen Mayor Boy Scholtze filed a police report indicated he was threatened at his home. The 34-year-old was attacked in early 2023 by an assailant who shouted slurs at the mayor of the Noord-Brabant town, a gay man who lives with his husband.

Scholtze refused to release specific details about the most recent incident, but it is at least the third time that he has been targeted since becoming mayor in the town of 28,000 residents. Six months after taking office in December 2022, a paving stone was thrown through the front window of Scholtze home. That took place just three days after he had moved into the residence.

A few months later, a driver nearly ran the mayor over in an attack which was alleged to be deliberate. This took place while Scholtze was walking from his own car to the town hall. The 76-year-old man arrested in that incident also verbally abused Scholtze in relation to his sexuality.

Following the threat revealed on Wednesday, the mayor has been assigned additional security. “These measures will affect my schedule and public engagements,” Scholtze said.

“Regrettably, this means that, for now, I will not always be able to perform my duties in the open and transparent manner you have come to expect from me.”

After the most recent threat, both “visible and covert measures” have been implemented to safeguard the mayor and his surroundings, he said. He stressed that he remains fully committed to his responsibilities as the Drimmelen mayor, despite the personal impact the threats have had on him, his husband, and their close circle.