Pro-Zwarte Piet action group charge into Utrecht primary school

A primary school in the Utrecht district of Zuilen called the police after a group of activists protesting for the preservation of Zwarte Piet in his traditional blackface appearance, stormed into the school on Thursday, ANP reports.

Around 10 protesters dressed up as Zwarte Piet charged into the primary school De Cirkel's schoolyard and classrooms and started handing out perpernoten and stickers shortly before the end of the school day.

The school had not invited the group or gave them permission to be there, and was overwhelmed by the action, school director Jochem Grimmelikhuizen said to NPO Radio 1. The school reported the action to the police and intends to file a declaration for trespassing.

Teachers had to get the activists out of the school, according to the director. A number of the protesters responded to requests to leave with unacceptable remarks. "They said things like 'go back to your own country' to the teachers", he said.