Prime Minister expresses support for Amsterdam mayor after Geert Wilders’ criticism
The Cabinet is behind the mayor of Amsterdam Femke Halsema, Prime Minister Dick Schoof said to RTL Nieuws and NOS. He would not respond any further to PVV leader Geert Wilders' comments, who tweeted on Monday that as far as he was concerned, Halsema can leave the country after she allowed a pro-Palestine demonstration in Amsterdam on Monday.
Wilders thinks that Halsema should have banned the demonstration because the terror attack of Hamas on Israel on October 7 last year was being remembered at the time. “Get that scum out of the country. And Halsema can go with them,” he said on X.
Schoof does not agree with him. “We support mayors in difficult choices and decisions that they have to make daily, and that also goes for Mayor Halsema.”
The prime minister does find it "inappropriate" to demonstrate for the Palestinian cause on October 7. "But everyone makes their own choices." The mayor is not to blame for that, he believes. "Demonstrating is a fundamental right, also on October 7."
More than 300 protesters were arrested at the pro-Palestinian demonstration on Monday. They wanted to go to the Dam, where a demonstration commemorating the Hamas attack on Israel was taking place. Halsema had allowed the pro-Palestinian action at another location in the area, invoking the right to demonstrate.
Minister of Interior Affairs Judith Uitermark agrees with Schoof. “I think that we as politicians need to lead by example,” she added. She does not want to talk about Wilders' statement. "The Cabinet is responsible for its own words, not those of Mr Wilders."
The mayor of Nijmegen, Hubert Bruls, was a lot less conservative with his response. He said that Wilders' comments were “completely inappropriate and intimidating.” He also added that he is expecting a strong reaction from Uitermark and the MPs in parliament.
Utrecht mayor Sharon Dijksma said that the comments made by the leader of the largest coalition party were “completely irresponsible.” She has called for the Cabinet to distance itself from the comments.
A spokesperson for Halsema has said that they “do not want to give the comments any oxygen.”
In a message on X, Amsterdam alderman Marjolein Moorman (PvdA) addressed VVD faction leader Dilan Yeşilgöz and NSC leader Pieter Omtzigt, referring to Wilders' message. "Dear @DilanYesilgoz and @PieterOmtzigt, when do you actually reach your limit?"
The mayor of The Hague, Jan van Zanen, joined the calls for the Cabinet to support the mayors. "In these difficult times, we need support from national politics to keep our municipalities peaceful and safe together," Van Zanen said about Wilders' message. "My appeal is: let us not import conflicts but export peace. I call on those who serve the public interest at the national level to support us in this."
