Racism

Politician Sylvana Simons is calling on advertisers to boycott RTL7 football show Voetbal Inside. In a Facebook post the Bij1 party leader calls the show homophobic, sexist and racist, NU.nl reports.

An email sent by a broker informing a Dutch-Moroccan couple that a home in Ter Aar they were interested in renting can only be rented by people of Dutch origin, again sparked a racism debate in the Netherlands. 

The couple went to look at the home in the Zuid-Holland town and decided they were interested, so they sent in all the documents the broker asked for. "The owner has chosen to only rent to people of Dutch descent. I am sorry to have to report this to you", read the email they received in response. One of the applicants posted a screenshot of the email on Facebook.

Gert-Jaap van Ulzen, board member of the VVD in Leeuwarden, resigned from the party following posts he made on Twitter calling anti-Zwarte Piet activists "negro fascists". Faction secretary Joel Heiner confirmed to Omrp Fryslan that Van Ulzen decided to withdraw from the VVD Leeuwarden board after "good consultation" with the other board members.

On Saturday there will be a demonstration against racism and Zwarte Piet in Dokkum. The police will escort the protesters to the Friesland town, to make sure their way isn't block as it was when they were heading to an approved protest at Sinterklaas' national arrival almost two weeks ago, NOS reports.

The demonstration on Saturday is an initiative of Zwarte Piet is Rascisme, Stop Blackface, Free Your Mind, Doorbraak and Progressive Groningen, according to the broadcaster. The protest is scheduled for between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. 

A primary school in the Utrecht district of Zuilen called the police after a group of activists protesting for the preservation of Zwarte Piet in his traditional blackface appearance, stormed into the school on Thursday, ANP reports.

Around 10 protesters dressed up as Zwarte Piet charged into the primary school De Cirkel's schoolyard and classrooms and started handing out perpernoten and stickers shortly before the end of the school day. 

A last-minute demonstration ban implemented for the national Sinterklaas arrival in Dokkum this past Saturday had to do with information that protesters planned to use heavy fireworks, Mayor Marga Waanders of Dongeradeel - which covers Dokkum - said in a statement. The statement did not say whether it was pro-Zwarte Piet or anti-Zwarte Piet protesters who had fireworks, AD reports. 

"Based on this information, the triangle [police, Prosecutor and mayor] was advised to ban the demonstration, because the safety of all people could no longer be guaranteed", Waanders said. 

People protesting for keeping Zwarte Piet in blackface makeup, also have to comply with the law, State Secretary Raymond Knops of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations said in WNL on Sunday. He was referring to a group of people blocking anti-Zwarte Piet protesters from reaching the Sinterklaas parade in Dokkum on Saturday, where they had permission to protest against racism.

"I understand the emotions on this subject, but I cannot approve of people stopping everything on a highway," Knops said. "Everyone must abide by the law, including these people."

Dokkum is getting ready for Sinterklaas' national arrival on Saturday, including putting up decorations and preparing for an anti-Zwarte Piet protest. The municipality of Dongeradeel, which includes Dokkum, gave Kick Out Zwarte Piet permission to protest, but is still working out the exact conditions and arrangements, a spokesperson said to Het Parool.

Kick Out Zwarte Piet announced their protest on Facebook. The protest will be preceded by a "March for Civilization", according to the group.

A firefighter in the Amsterdam-Amstelland fire department was suspended for making racist comments to a colleague, a spokesperson for the fire department confirmed to the Telegraaf on Sunday.

The suspended firefighter is employed as a commander in the fire department. The spokesperson could give no further information about the firefighter or the investigation against him.

A casting call for Dutch radio station Radio 538's upcoming Winter Olympics coverage has caused anger among many members of the Dutch-Asian community. The job posting is seen by some as specifically promoting an antiquated caricature as it identifies the need for a Korean man who "is instantly recognizable as Korean", and able to speak "defective" Dutch and English. Whoever is hired for the role will be the face of Radio 538's broadcasts on the Olympics, taking place next February in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Stefano van Delden, manager of Jong Ajax player Mees de Wit, was attacked after a football match in Helmond on Friday night. "It was clearly about my skin color", he said, according to RTL Nieuws. He pressed charges of public violence and vandalism with the police. Football director of Helmond Sport, Marcel van den Bunder, condemned the violence on Monday. He called it "unacceptable" and "unworthy of Helmond Sport" in a response to Omroep Brabant.