Yerseke cancels Sinterklaas arrival party over Kick Out Zwarte Piet protest

The Sinterklaas committee of the Zeeland town of Yerseke has decided to cancel its Sinterklaas arrival party. Kick Out Zwarte Piet announced it would hold its last demonstration there. According to the committee, the protest against blackface makeup and possible counter-protests would be too risky for the children, visitors, and volunteers, RTL Nieuws reports.

Kick Out Zwarte Piet (KOZP) announced that it was done demonstrating against the Zwarte Piet character in the Sinterklaas tradition, who is traditionally portrayed by white Dutch people in blackface makeup and curly wigs. The organization will dissolve after December 5th because it feels it has “achieved its three goals of addressing racism in the Netherlands.”

Over the weekend, KOZP decided it would hold one last demonstration in Yerseke, near Kapelle in Zeeland. According to the organization, the Pieten in Yerseke are still too black-faced.

On Wednesday, the Sinterklaas committee announced that it was cancelling the party because it couldn’t happen safely. “We want to prevent Yerseke from becoming the scene of a political or social confrontation, which benefits no one.” The committee spoke of “a national threat from multiple activist groups and the potential risks this entails.”

“The risks for children, visitors, and volunteers are too great and incalculable,” the committee said, according to the broadcaster.

Last year, around 20 KOZP activists demonstrated in Yerseke. Hundreds of counter-protesters showed up and tried to disrupt the KOZP protest by throwing eggs at the anti-racism protesters. The police had to intervene.

KOZP also intended to protest at the national Sinterklaas arrival party on Texel, which will be broadcast by NTR, but told NH Nieuws on Wednesday that they decided to cancel that demonstration.