"Christmas cards": D66 leader, virologist share threats against them

D66 leader Sigrid Kaag shared a few "Christmas cards" delivered to her home, all filled with threats and insults, on Twitter. Virologist Marion Koopmans responded with a threatening email she received. She asked Kaag and the Public Prosecution Service (OM) to "really work on these kinds of things next year." "I'm done with it, actually," she said.

The anonymous cards sent to Kaag contain texts like "as you can see, we know where you live." Another one read: "Also, please respect the D of democracy, which you have apparently forgotten." Another: "You think you're smart. How stupid is that?"

The email sent to Koopmans was signed "D.P." and it was much less subtle. "That you still dare to show your filthy corona bastard face on TV, you dirty filthy monster from Dachau, you corrupt pocket-filling traitor who gets paid hundreds of thousands in black money." The writer also referred to the assassination of Peter R. de Vries. "They shot the wrong one in front of the entrance of (a) parking garage, gross piece of unfinished Nazi Schwab whore." They ended the email: "Also, happy holidays!"

"Christmas is the time of good wishes," Kaag said. "So send your cards to someone who is lonely and not me. Send them a sweet wish. Then you help someone else, and you also enter the last weeks of this year with more positivity."

Last month, the OM reported that the number of threats against politicians increased significantly last year. A total of 600 possible threats were reported in 2020, including 274 containing an actual criminal offense. In 2019, there were 393 cases with 206 criminal offenses.