LPF councillor Tjerk Langman and CDA group chairman Linda Hofman will be investigated. They are suspected of inciting violence. This happened just before the rowdy Sinterklaas festivities in Eindhoven, last year.
The investigation follows complaints which were lodged by Anemoon Langenhoff. Mrs Langenhoff is a member of the activist group KOZP. The KOZP’s aim is to abolish the traditional “Zwarte Pieten“, who accompany Sint Nicolaas during celebrations in the Netherlands.
Earlier she and fellow activists filed a complaint against Eindhoven council members. The activists claim to have been threatened by politicians Mrs. Hofman and Mr. Langman. Mayor Jorritsma thinks the complaints are ‘sufficiently serious and concrete’ to warrant an investigation.
Mayor Jorritsma wrote, there are reasons to suspect there is a case for ‘possible restriction of the right to demonstrate and inciting violence’. Therefore, the mayor decided to have matters investigated by an external agency.
Mrs. Hofman did not want to react to complaints, now that the investigation started. Mr. Langman stated he ‘first wants to study Langenhoff’s exact complaint, before he reacts to its content’.
Mrs. Hofman is said to have instigated violence, just before riots started during Sinterklaas’ visit to Eindhoven in November 2018. A demonstration by KOZP got out of hand during this event.
Anti-KOZP-demonstrators – mainly PSV hooligans – threw eggs and cans at KOPZ-activists. Racial slurs were also heard. Before what should have been a child-orientated celebration got out of hand, Mrs. Hofman wrote on her Facebook-page, members of KOZP should be kicked.
KOZP activists also accuse Mr. Langman of sedition. According to Mrs. Langenhoff, she was intimidated and her privacy was violated by actions instigated by the LPF politician.
Mr. Langman re-posted a Facebook message from Mrs. Langenhoff on Twitter, in which she indicated she was going to demonstrate during festivities. According to the activist, this ensured hooligans knew she would be present. She claims this ensured she and her children became scared.
Mrs. Hofman previously denied, she had instigated violence. Mr. Langman dismissed the accusations as nonsense at the end of last year. During the current investigation into what happened, Eindhoven’s municipality will not comment. Mayor Jorritsma: ‘From the point of view of careful action, I attach great importance to this’. Once results of the investigation become public, Mayor Jorritsma will consider possible further actions.
Source: Studio 040
Translator: Kate
