Two political leaders refuse to sign statement against anti-Semitism after singer jeered

The leaders of 13 of the 15 political factions represented in the Tweede Kamer co-signed a statement expressing their outrage at the rise of anti-Semitism "in places where everyone should be able to gather freely and safely." The leaders of FvD and Denk were the only two in the lower house of Parliament who refused to put their names on the document, which was presented in response to the harassment and heckling targeting Jewish singer Lenny Kuhr.

During her Sunday concert in Waalwijk, Noord-Brabant, one person marched on stage with a Palestinian flag, shouting that Kuhr should be ashamed "for supporting genocide." He then accused her children of being complicit. Kuhr has children and grandchildren living in Israel, two of whom are in the military there. From the audience, another protester shouted, "And this Lenny is a terrorist! She is a zionist!"

"This is not demonstrating, this is intimidating. That has to stop. And now," the statement presented in the Tweede Kamer read. It was signed by the leaders of ChristenUnie, VVD, BBB, GroenLinks-PvdA, D66, CDA, NSC, SGP, Volt, JA21, PvdD, SP and the PVV.

"Last weekend, a Jewish artist was attacked and verbally abused with anti-Semitic chants," the statement continued. "Even a performance by a Jewish Dutch person no longer appeared to be safe," they asserted. "Let no one remain silent anymore, stop anti-Semitism now, in every form: today, tomorrow and in the future," the political leaders wrote. "We are standing up, can we count on you?"

The names of FvD faction leader Thierry Baudet and Denk leader Stephan van Baarle were missing from the statement. They were reportedly approached by the other party leaders. Denk told ANP that it "fully supports the fight against anti-Semitism." The party also supports additional funding "for this fight," but felt a passage in the statement went too far.

"It refers to statements that are considered anti-Semitic. The question is not whether these statements are distasteful, but whether they are actually anti-Semitic," a Denk spokesperson said. That is why Van Baarle did not sign the statement. "We must wage a strong fight against all forms of hatred and exclusion, but it has not been proven that there is anti-Semitism here," the spokesperson said.

FVD did not respond on Tuesday evening to questions about Baudet's missing signature.

The singer said she suspects the incident was supported by a well-funded organization. In an interview after her concert on Tuesday, Kuhr said she has received an enormous amount of support after her Sunday performance was disrupted by the pro-Palestinian activists. "I received so many flowers and cards. That makes me incredibly happy," she said after her performance in Stadskanaal, where extra safety measures were in place.

The concert in Stadskanaal concluded without issue. Kuhr told Mayor Klaas Sloots that she felt "very safe," but also said she thought it was a shame that members of the press were prevented from attending. Sloots said the goal was to ensure that everything remained safe.

"It is always a discussion afterwards whether it was proportionate or whether it could have been a little more accessible."

The 74-year-old singer said she prefers not to give much attention to the activists, whom she suspects were backed by an organization. "They had bought ten tickets; there were four of them. You don't simply pay for that."

Kuhr had prepared for the concert on Tuesday as usual. "I'm not going to worry about what could happen. Something can always happen. Someone can also go into cardiac arrest." She regretted that ticket sales were stopped prematurely. "It's a shame more people couldn't come."

Kuhr admitted she did make a mistake when she sang the song on Sunday when the activists began making noise. "I started on an intermediate piece a little too late, then you notice that something has happened." Just before singing the song "In Mijn Boek," the singer said: "What happened these past days, and also this day, will be written in this book."

She was not scared after the disruption, but "angry that this could happen," noting the "brutality with which the intimacy of the performance was infringed." The singer said that she had had a premonition for some time that something could happen. "I have also received many emails in which people write terrible things," saying they wrote about what they wished on her and her family "in such a horrible way."

Kuhr considered the incident to be one of anti-Semitism. She was largely singled out for having family in Israel, including the two grandchildren in military service. Kuhr said that they were also very shocked, but were also "very proud" of how things were handled, partly because her husband also intervened.

About the war between Israel and Gaza, she said, "I think a country should defend itself." According to the singer, it is Hamas's turn. "Present those hostages. All of Israel is waiting for it."