Fight breaks out at City Council meeting in The Hague during housing demolition debate

Emotions ran so high in a Hague city council meeting about demolishing homes to make room for new ones that people in the public gallery nearly came to blows. One sustained an eye injury when a speaker angrily threw a folder into the crowd, but a DENK city councilor managed to prevent an actual fist-fight breaking out, Omroep West reports.

Housing association Haag Wonen wants to demolish a portico complex of 395 social rental homes on Weigeliaplein and build new ones. According to the housing association, demolition and new construction will achieve the best quality. Residents who oppose the demolition plans have submitted an alternative proposal to renovate the homes instead. But according to Haag Wonen, renovation would leave the homes small and inefficient in terms of layout and sustainability.

The angry outburst happened when Patrick Wijsman, chairman of the residents’ organization De 5 Struiken, had his say. He emotionally told the city council why he supports the Haag Wonen plans. “It is no longer feasible in the neighborhood, and the residents are fed up with it,” he said. “The houses are done, and renovation is just a postponement of execution. That is why we are in favor of demolition,” he said. With tears streaming down his face, he closed: “So I call on all of you: take care of this. Take care of this.”

Opponents of the demolition plans were sitting right behind him and laughed scornfully at his show of emotion. Wijsman exploded, turned around, and angrily threw a folder into the crowd, hitting resident Pete Nietsen near his eye and causing a big cut. Angry shouts burst from the gallery. “Are you in your right mind?” someone shouted at the chairman. For a moment, it seemed like the situation would devolve into a brawl, but a DENK councilor managed to settle everyone down.

The city council chairman adjourned the meeting and postponed the debate.

A day later, Pete Nietsen is still shaken by the incident, he told Omroep West. “I’m 71 years old, not 18 anymore.” He said the cut caused no permanent damage to his eye. “But my vision is still blurry, and the doctor says I have a mild concussion.” He has filed a report with the police.

Tim de Boer of the Haagse Stadspartij saw the incident happen from his council seat. “It was very intense,” he told the broadcaster. According to the city councilor, things escalated to this point because Haag Wonen refuses to listen to opponents of its plans. “Every step taken by Haag Wonen has been toward demolition,” he said. “The corporation only wanted to talk to those in favor of demolition. The residents are pitted against each other.”

Haagse Stadspartij is against the demolition plans, De Boer added. “As far as I am concerned, the residents’ renovations plan is not as far-fetched as Haag Wonen made it seem. It produces a positive return. As a municipality, we should not simply participate in the demolition of homes that can still be renovated.”