Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet arrive in the Netherlands: Protests, Arrests and Fights (Video inside)

The national arrival of Sinterklaas in Zaanstad today went well. According to Mayor Hamming; about 30,000 people have come to the arrival of the ‘Sint’. The police have arrested four people, mostly for disrupting public order.

Confrontations throughout the rest of the country: Fighting in Rotterdam at the Erasmus bridge

At some places in the country, the police intervened in protests against- or pro ‘Zwarte Piet’.

In Rotterdam a confrontation between supporters and opponents of Zwarte Piet got out of hand. The police intervened at the Erasmus Bridge.

The opponents of Zwarte Piet did not want to take place in the designated protest area where they were allowed by mayor Aboutaleb of Rotterdam. “Pro-Pieten, Shame on you” the approximately one hundred anti-Black Pete protestors called. Later on several cars filled with ‘Pro-Piet’ people stopped and assaulted the Anti-Black Pete protestors.

Little Riot in Eindhoven, Leeuwarden and other places

In Eindhoven a group of Anti-Black-Pete protestors was assaulted by PSV-hooligans who were apparently defending Black Pete. Throwing all kinds of stuff at them, here’s a tweet with some shameful footage.

And here’s Leeuwarden:

The list of towns where shit went down is long; longer than last year. But since it is a beautiful Saturday and we here at DutchReview have better things to do, we’re just going to leave it at this for now.

Oh wait, a last little thing, here’s Mel B. from the Spicegirls getting confronted with Zwarte Piet in the 1990’s. Oh boy:

Abuzer van Leeuwen 🇳🇱
Abuzer van Leeuwen 🇳🇱http://www.abuzervanleeuwen.nl
Abuzer founded DutchReview a decade ago because he thought expats needed it and wanted to make amends for the Dutch cuisine. He has a Masters in Political Science and IT but somewhere always wanted to study history or good old football. He also a mortgage in the Netherlands and will happily tell you too how to get one. Born and raised in Rotterdam, Abuzer now lives in Leiden but is always longing back to his own international year in Italy.

1 COMMENT

  1. As seen in the comment of many officials to the protests, this is the result if not having an authority who is leading. And this where the Dutch system fails. Have a look at the interview at the NPO program een vandaag or yesterday evening (17 nob 2018) for expamle and it becomes clear that the lack of authirity in The Netherlnds is that cause of that small things like this escalate.

    And the strangest things is that nobody protests about Sinterklaas that he has a caucasian skin. Sinterklaas who is not a caucasian of orgin, if the stories are correct.

    How come and why is it that for example no one protest against Sinta Claus that he is represented as an white causasian and the majority of the world is not causian.
    Because of the power of the commercial companies who create this, protect and prevent it due to the commercial intrest they have?
    Or whu is it that other important figures who are also representent in the apearances of a caucasian person and there is no discussion about?

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