Telegram group claims responsibility for Neo-Nazi, racist Erasmus Bridge stunt

Members of the Telegram group White Lives Matter (WLM) from the Netherlands and Germany have claimed responsibility for the racist and white supremacist statements projected on the Erasmus Bridge in Rotterdam during New Year's Eve. It is unknown who is behind the Telegram group. The Public Prosecution Service is still investigating whether criminal offenses have been committed.

In the app group they wrote that their "activists" from the Netherlands and Germany teamed up to make a public "pro-Blank" statement. The word "blank" is often criticized as an antiquated term used to describe white people. More closely translated as an absence of color, it can be considered a white supremacist term.

"This required a lot of planning, testing and math to make it work. We also had to contend with a large sum of money for the laser," the group wrote. They also confirmed it was a coordinated action. "This was pre-planned and required a lot of preparation. We knew we only had one chance and it had to be perfect." WLM describes itself in the message not "as a group or organization," but as a "decentralized initiative."

The messages included "White Lives Matter" and "Vrolijk Blank 2023 - Happy White 2023" were projected on the bridge. They also projected the English sentence, "We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children." This phrase was popularized by American Neo-Nazi David Lane, who created a domestic terrorist organization. The statement has become known by the abbreviation "14 words." The statement, "White Lives Matter" was also first popularized by a different American white supremacist group, and is used to try and sweep the existence of racism under the rug, advocates of inclusivity have said.

The group said it was planning more campaigns in the near future. "Our New Year's resolutions are that we hope to see similar cooperation among other groups in our [White] countries," though they again used a derivative of the word "Blank" instead of white.

The Telegram group also released a questionnaire in which suggestions were made for locations for their next statement. Followers can choose from a football stadium, a live concert, at a demonstration, at the Dam Square National Monument, in busy places such as a train station or during another live broadcast. Some of the messages projected on the Erasmus Bridge were shown on RTL 4 during its broadcast of national New Year's celebrations.