Video: Dutch police apologize for confronting, intimidating protester at her home
A Dutch police officer recently confronted a woman who had attended several demonstrations against genocide in Gaza at her home. She posted a video of the intimidating conversation she had with him online. The police have apologized for the visit, a police spokesperson told RTL Nieuws.
The video shows the feet of two police officers standing at the woman’s door. One introduces himself as a community police officer and asks if he can come inside. The woman declines. “We noticed that you have been to a demonstration a few times,” the officer said, translated from Dutch, trying to pinpoint the last protest she attended. She refuses to give the information.
“What is your position now?” the officer asks. “Do you plan to go again?” He also wants to know what makes her want to protest.
“I demonstrate against genocide,” the woman said, declining to give further information. She adds that she feels the officers are there to intimidate her. The cop says that this is not the case, but continues: “I understand that you are moving?”
The video was widely shared on social media, and many reacted with shock and anger. “Very scary and intimidating,” one person responded. Another said: “The fact that this is done in such a ‘friendly’ manner by a blushing Dutch young man makes it all the more terrifying. Even sliding into fascism is something we do happily.”
The police confirmed to RTL Nieuws that the video is real. “We have seen it,” a police spokesperson said. “The way in which they spoke is not what we stand for. We regret that it happened this way. And we apologize for this.” According to the broadcaster, the police did not respond to further questions.
“Really bad if it really happened like that,” said Steven Derks of privacy organization Privacy First. “It is an invasion of this woman’s privacy. It is probably not lawful.” In the Netherlands, the police can only visit you at home and question you if there is a valid reason for this. That does not seem to be the case, based on this video, Derks said to RTL. “It is really very bad.”
Derks also referred to the officer’s comment about the woman moving, calling it very intimidating. “He’s basically saying: we are keeping an eye on you. That falls under monitoring, under surveillance. That is subject to many rules. I think they have made quite a big mistake here.”
Extinction Rebellion activists have received similar visits in the past, the climate organization said in a response on its website. “It is unclear how the police have established the identity and home address of the protester they visited and what is done with the information obtained during the visit,” the organization said.
Human rights organization Amnesty International is also aware that the Dutch police are showing up at protesters’ homes. “It is really worrying,” a spokesperson told RTL Nieuws. “The right to demonstrate is a human right and should be given space.”
