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Dutch museum slammed for ancient Egypt exhibition featuring Beyoncé and Lil Nas X

Simone Jacobs
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Dutch museum slammed for ancient Egypt exhibition featuring Beyoncé and Lil Nas X

Egyptian authorities have banned the National Museum of Antiquities (RMO) in Leiden from excavating the Egyptian burial ground, Sakkara, due to a recently opened exhibit that drew heavy criticism from Egyptians. 

According to the NOS, Leiden’s Museum of Antiquities (RMO) opened an exhibition at the end of April that has caused heavy public outcry from Egypt.

An official email from the Antiquities Service in Egypt states that the museum is guilty of falsifying history because of its ‘Afrocentric’ approach to the Kemet exhibition.

The exhibition caused an uproar

‘The Kemet exhibition. Egypt in hip-hop, jazz, soul & funk’ is an exhibition at the RMO that looks for “the significance of ancient Egypt and Nubia in the work of musicians from the African diaspora”. 

READ MORE | An ‘international’ exhibition! Portraits of Leiden’s expats on show

The RMO is accused of participating in the appropriation of Egyptian culture by black artists from the United States. Why is this? Well, the Kemet exhibition mainly concerns African-American artists being depicted as ancient Egyptian icons.

In the museum, you can see artists such as Beyoncé and Rihanna depicted as Queen Nefertiti, rapper Nas as Pharaoh Tutankhamun, and Eddie Murphy as Pharaoh Ramses.

The Museum disagrees with accusations

RMO director Wim Weijland is angry about the accusations of history falsification. “That is indecent,” Weijland tells NRC.”This exhibition has been made with great care. As scientists, you don’t accuse each other like that. I, therefore, want that qualification to be withdrawn.” 

Egypt’s Antiquities Service will no longer be allowing the RMO to excavate in the Sakkara burial grounds near the Egyptian capital of Cairo. A team from the Leiden museum has been excavating there with international partners for years, but, due to the accusations, their work there will now come to an end.

READ MORE | The museum town of the Netherlands: 14 great museums to visit in Leiden

While RMO is formally objecting to the decision and would like to return to Sakkara, Weijland will not make excuses. “And we are not adjusting the exhibition either. I am willing to add a sign with Egyptian commentary, but then someone has to come and see it first.” 

Weijland hopes to talk to the Egyptian antiquarian authorities as the RMO believes images are being taken out of context without any Egyptian officials visiting the exhibition in Leiden so far. 

Stay up to date with all the news in the Netherlands by following DutchReview on Facebook.

Beach day alert! The Netherlands could hit 30 degrees this week

Naomi Lamaury
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Beach day alert! The Netherlands could hit 30 degrees this week

Get ready to sweat, because summer is officially here! Temperatures of 25 degrees Celsius are expected throughout most of the Netherlands, with the potential to even hit a scorching 30 degrees in some parts. 🔥

While we’ve had lovely and sunny spring weather these past few weeks, the first summery day of the year is finally here.

30 degrees Celsius this weekend

It’s expected that from Friday onwards, warm temperatures will sweep across most of the country. Eastern wind will blow warm air into the Netherlands, causing temperatures to warm up to around 25 degrees Celsius in most places, reports NU.nl. 

If that isn’t enough for tropical-summer lovers, meteorologists say that temperatures might even hit a whopping 30 degrees in some places. 

Translation: “It will be another sun-drenched day with some clouds in the northwest in the morning and clouds drifting into the country from Germany in the afternoon.”

Although it’s quite late in the year for the first summer temperatures, we’ll be sure to make the most of it and flock to the beaches, lakes, and parks this weekend.

First, cooler temperatures during the week

Unfortunately, it’s not the weekend yet and we need to get through the rest of the week first. (Sigh! 😮‍💨) In the coming days, temperatures will vary across the Netherlands.

READ MORE | 7 scenic bike paths in the Netherlands

While some lucky cities  (looking at you, Limburg) are already waving ‘hoi’ to summer-like temperatures, it will still be cooler in other parts of the country.

On the Wadden islands, temperatures will stay at around 21 degrees Celsius in the coming weekdays due to a northerly wind. 

Are you loving or dreading the possibility of 30 degrees Celsius this weekend? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!

Eurostar announces no trains between Amsterdam and London for up to one year

Julia de Oliveira Moritz
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Eurostar announces no trains between Amsterdam and London for up to one year

The ever-popular Eurostar train route from Amsterdam to London will temporarily stop running from June 2024 to May 2025 at the latest. The reason? You guessed it, construction.

The renovations at Amsterdam Central Station make it impossible to have room for passport and luggage control when boarding the train, according to the NOS. 

Given that the Eurostar functions the same way as a flight in terms of security, these checks are necessary for the train to run.

READ MORE | FlixBus announces “exciting experiment” launching international trains in NL 

Currently, four Eurostar trains are running from Amsterdam to London daily. It is one of the company’s most successful and profitable routes, as it connects two major European cities.

And yet, Eurostar has cancelled not only this route but all of its connections with the Netherlands. Eurostar has not announced the reason for this decision. 

Heated reception

State Secretary Vivianne Heijnen of Infrastructure reports to the House of Representatives that it’s “very disappointing” not to have a ready solution for this problem. 

Further, Amsterdam alderman Melanie van der Horst tells AT5, “It is actually inexplicable that such an important train connection is lost for so long. Especially now that we are trying to make the train more attractive to reduce the number of short flights.”

On top of that, this cancellation means that up to 21 more flights from Schiphol per day would be necessary. 

Exploring alternatives

So what can we do now? One of the options is to transfer to Brussels. This is one of the only alternatives if Eurostar cuts all its train connections in the Netherlands.

However, if these ties are not cut, some have called for a train to run from Rotterdam rather than Amsterdam. Eurostar is looking into this option but doesn’t seem enthusiastic, presenting multiple reasons it might not work.

The first is that although their route between Amsterdam and London is one of their most profitable, this wouldn’t be the case for Rotterdam. According to the Ministry of Transport and Water Management, this is because the “market is concentrated in Amsterdam”.

READ MORE | Train etiquette on Dutch trains: 8 things you’ll always see 

Another issue is that the customs office at Rotterdam Central Station can handle up to 150 passengers, while Amsterdam Central can handle up to 250. The train can hold up to 900 passengers, so without those boarding in Amsterdam, the train would be too empty.

This also explains why Eurostar isn’t too keen on having the train run from Rotterdam to London. Rotterdam Central Station doesn’t have the capacity for more inspections of passports and luggage, so it can’t make up for those not boarding from Amsterdam.

Meetings for further steps

As of June 5, Eurostar CEO Gwendoline Cazenave is coming to the Netherlands to discuss further options with the Ministry, ProRail, and the NS. 

After that, a meeting will be held on Thursday (June 8, 2023) in the House of Representatives to discuss other options, according to the NOS.

Have you ever taken the Eurostar train from Amsterdam to London? Tell us about your experiences in the comments below!

Cat and mouse game: rise in theft and nuisance at The Hague Central Station increases sharply

Naomi Lamaury
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Cat and mouse game: rise in theft and nuisance at The Hague Central Station increases sharply

Businesses and train railway companies NS and ProRail complain of increased theft, nuisance, and aggression at The Hague Central Station in the past months. 

Train stations have often been centres of crime, and the bustling station of The Hague hasn’t escaped. 

The NS and ProRail recently sent a letter to the city’s municipality, signalling the “unmanageable” rise in nuisance and theft in the past few months, reports the AD. 

READ MORE | Public transport in the Netherlands: the complete guide

According to the station community, alcohol, food, and books are regularly stolen from the station’s stores, and troublesome behaviour has become a regular at the station. 

Shoplifting and nuisance at the station

The railway companies say that some homeless EU migrants are often shoplifting, polluting, and reacting aggressively to people in the station.

According to employees of the station’s Albert Heijn To Go, groups of Eastern European people are found stealing from the store’s alcohol aisle in the morning. 

READ MORE | A guide to night buses and night trains in the Netherlands

The picnic tables and benches, an area where the accused troublemakers were spending time, were moved to the area that is only accessible once you have checked in. 

Moving away the tables seems to have been a slight success, according to Albert Heijn To Go’s manager of the station, who says they notice a difference.

Cat and mouse game with organised theft

While moving the tables has helped to reduce the nuisance, the businesses at the station still face another problem — organised theft. 

A bookshop says that thieves come early in the morning or late at night, use earphones to communicate, all to steal…books.

One of the store’s acting managers says that their products are regularly at risk of being stolen when it’s busy, “we often focus on the more expensive stuff in the back of the store, but if we don’t pay attention, our entire top 10 of books is gone. It really is a cat-and-mouse game” 

A spokesman of the mayor of The Hague, Jan van Zanen, said that they are aware of the issues and will revitalise discussions with ProRail, NS, and homeless organisations to see what else can be done to reduce the nuisance at the station.

What’s your experience with Dutch train stations? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!

Trains to start running again to and from Amsterdam at 9 AM after NS and ProRail malfunction  

Simone Jacobs
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Trains to start running again to and from Amsterdam at 9 AM after NS and ProRail malfunction  

Arrange alternative modes of transport or work from home this Monday, as there will still be disruptions around Amsterdam and Schiphol after train cancellations.

After a continuing IT failure at the ProRail traffic control post in Amsterdam, the NS and ProRail announced that trains would be running to and from Amsterdam starting at 9 AM, says Het Parool. However, disruptions could continue for the rest of the morning.

More train routes delayed

The malfunction is not only affecting traffic in Amsterdam but is also causing delays and cancellations in other routes across the country from as early as 5 PM on Sunday, reports the NOS.

“Many trains are running,” says a ProRail spokesperson but alternative departure times, delays, and cancellations could impact other train journeys, so best keep an eye on the NS travel planner before you head to the office. 

Travellers stranded

Last night, there was no traffic in both Amsterdam and Utrecht, leaving many travellers stranded. Buses could not be used to replace the trains due to the large number of travellers.

“ProRail and NS regret that we were unable to bring many travellers home last night and that they had to spend the night at the station,” NS writes in a statement. “This is not what travellers should expect from us.”

The trains were particularly busy on Sunday night, partly due to a concert by Harry Styles in the Johan Cruijff Arena. There was also a concert in AFAS Live, bringing the total number of concert visitors to 55,000.

@danielaplaisier I hate the f*cking NS🖕but the concert was amazing😌 #ns #harrystyles #fypシ #foryoupage #fyp #foryou #concert #ziggodome #hslot #loveontour #hslotamsterdam #hslot2023 #trains #amsterdam #netherlands ♬ Late Night Talking – Harry Styles

Stranded travellers in Utrecht were accommodated at Jaarbeurs, and those in Amsterdam were taken care of in the Ziggo Dome. Stretchers were set up, and food and drinks were provided. 

International train traffic affected 

Train traffic to Brussels, Berlin, and Frankfurt was also affected by the malfunction.

READ MORE | Catching an international train from NL this summer? You’ll need to reserve that ticket first!

Trains to Paris and London run through Brussels, so these trains will most likely also feel the effects. 

Stay up to date with all the news in the Netherlands by following DutchReview on Facebook.

Dutch gov’t blocked from sending tanks to Ukraine by Switzerland

Julia de Oliveira Moritz
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Dutch gov’t blocked from sending tanks to Ukraine by Switzerland

Switzerland has blocked an attempt by the Dutch government to provide several dozen battle tanks to Ukraine. 

The Dutch government was planning to purchase the Leopard 1 tanks from a Swiss company to supply Ukraine, according to the NOS. 

However, Switzerland blocked the sale after voting against a bill allowing the export of weapons to Ukraine. In true Swiss style, the country wants to remain neutral in the conflict.

Germany was also interested in the tanks to export them to Ukraine, but Switzerland turned them down as well.

READ MORE | Rutte pledges to deliver anti-aircraft missiles to Ukraine along with US and Germany

The Netherlands has already shown their support for Ukraine in multiple ways, from supplying anti-aircraft missiles and welcoming Zelensky to helping the animals from Ukraine.

Want the latest Dutch news to come zooming through the internet to your inbox? Dat kan! Subscribe to DutchReview’s weekly roundup 📮

Farewell, icon: Amsterdam’s beloved g-string roller skater passes away

Ellen Ranebo
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Farewell, icon: Amsterdam’s beloved g-string roller skater passes away

We are sad to report that after decades of gracing Amsterdam’s streets with “bare buttocks”, legs, and roller skates, Henri Pronker (1956-2023) passed away from cancer on Wednesday night at age 66. 

“Intelligent”, beloved, iconic, “colourful” — those are just some of the adjectives that fans and witnesses use to describe the g-string skater, reports Het Parool. 

Pronker and his buttocks first came onto the Amsterdam scene in the late 80s, seemingly out of nowhere, whizzing around on rollerblades, sporting nothing but a g-string that reportedly left little to the imagination. 

To locals and internationals alike, this man was an enigma, an urban legend. And that’s the way he liked it:

One of Amsterdam’s enigmas

Why did he skate half-naked across Amsterdam? Who knows. Maybe it was a political statement, a demonstration of sexuality, or maybe he was feeling himself. Either way, we were here for it. 

At least, most of us were. Titled “the creepiest skater ever”, New Zealand illustrator Toby Morris drew a black-and-white portrait of Pronker back in 2010 — which can be found in his book, “333 Drawings of A Year in Amsterdam”.  

Whether passersby were horrified or intrigued, one thing was certain: he was not easily forgotten. We all secretly wanted to be him, and he knew it. 

A legacy for us to enjoy

Miss him already? Well, there’s still a way to see him. Pronker’s art form has been immortalised through the medium of film. 

That’s right, Henri Pronker managed to land roles as a scantily-clad “skater” (basically himself) in the Dick Maas movie Don’t Worry About It (1999), and even has his own IMDb page. (Whether he was genuinely acting, or just happened to stumble/skate onto the set, is beside the point.)

Het Parool claims this street-based string skater perfectly encapsulated the sexual liberation and “freedom” of Amsterdam’s culture. 

READ MORE | An industry in flux: licensed Dutch brothels and sex work on the decline

After all, it’s a city where sex work is not only legal but also officially regulated, with its own branch of tourism dedicated to sex tourism. 

It’s likely that Pronker’s constant roller-bladed presence even contributed to that reputation. 

Fewer appearances 

In the last few years of his life, however, Pronker’s appearances were reportedly fewer and farther between. 

After experiencing a nasty fall — an outlier in an otherwise flawless skating career — he decided the streets were no longer smooth enough to support his craft. 

Not only that, but according to Het Parool, he was “increasingly being taunted” by the general public. Uh, oh. Is Amsterdam becoming “more boring” and “even less tolerant” these days? 

READ MORE | It’s official guys, you can no longer publicly smoke weed in Amsterdam’s city centre

Fans wistfully reminisce about the gentler, more “cuddly” time period he represented. “With his death, a piece of Amsterdam dies,” a reader tells Het Parool. 

Farewell to a national treasure. The Dutch capital won’t be the same without you. 

Did you ever catch a glimpse of the g-string skater? Tell us about your experience in the comments below. 

It’s summer! The NL is about to have a glorious weekend of sunshine

Naomi Lamaury
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It’s summer! The NL is about to have a glorious weekend of sunshine

The Netherlands is entering June in full-blown summer mode, with warm temperatures and sunshine expected throughout the first weekend of the season. ☀️

After a cloudy Thursday, some of us might have feared that it meant the end of our sunny day streak. Thankfully, it’s not over just yet. 

The sun will be right back on Friday, and will spend the morning working on breaking up the clouds to prepare us for a beautiful and bright weekend, reports AD.nl.

“Beautiful outdoor weather” on Saturday

Warm air coming from a northeasterly wind will make for “beautiful outdoor weather” on Saturday, according to Weerplaza. 

In fact, those lucky ducks in the southeast of the Netherlands will get a teaser of a balmy summer with temperatures hitting, wait for it, up to 25 degrees Celsius.

Those along the north coast and on the Wadden Islands will have slightly cooler temperatures with thermometers ranging between 17-19 degrees Celsius. That being said, northerners will still enjoy plenty of sunshine. 

The rest of the Netherlands will also be bustling at the terraces and beaches with temperatures hovering above a lekker 20 degrees Celsius.

Get out that sunscreen for Sunday folks

After a chilly night between of between 6-10 degrees Celsius, temperatures will pop right back up along with the sun on Sunday.

Some clouds from the North Sea will be pushed towards the northern parts of the Netherlands but we’re still promised sun and temperatures will remain between 17-19 degrees Celsius.

READ MORE | The 18 most magnificent lakes in the Netherlands (near Amsterdam and beyond)

While in the Wadden Islands, you might need to keep your jacket close as temperatures won’t go much higher than 15 degrees Celsius, the rest of the country will be sporting t-shirts and tan lines. 

In most parts of the Netherlands, temperatures above 20 degrees Celsius and bright sunshine are forecast for Sunday, satisfying our summer-time cravings. 

Take care of your pale friends (and yourself)

When we say bright sunshine, we mean bright. The UV index will be at a 6, meaning that you will find yourself sporting the burnt, red lobster look within just 15-30 minutes if you’re not wearing (and re-applying) sunscreen.

Who says Monday has to be all bad? As everyone heads back to work on Monday, sunny and dry weather is forecast to continue after the weekend, so bring the sunnies and good vibes to the office with you. 🌞

What’s your favourite activity to do in the Netherlands when it’s sunny? Tell us in the comments below!

Breach of privacy: Dutch police accused of violating protestors’ rights

Julia de Oliveira Moritz
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Breach of privacy: Dutch police accused of violating protestors’ rights

Amnesty International has claimed that Dutch police are violating protesters’ rights through intimidation, illegitimate ID checks, and abuse of power. 

The international organisation spoke to 50 protestors between September 2020 and November 2022. These included climate protesters, refugee rights and anti-racism protesters, among others.

According to Amnesty International, Dutch police are abusing their power and creating a “chilling effect on the right to freedom of peaceful assembly”.

Unlawful surveillance

Dutch police have been unlawfully surveilling protestors in the Netherlands by demanding peaceful protestors show their identity cards. When they check these IDs, the police keep their information in a database for at least five years.

However, this violates the protestor’s right to privacy according to the  2003 Compulsory Identification Act, which says ID checks can only happen if it is necessary for the police officer’s job.

READ MORE | Girl with the Pearl Earring Vandalised by climate protesters

On top of that, Amnesty International found that the methods used by the police to monitor protestors include “social media monitoring, use of drones at protests, infiltration of group apps, and unannounced home visits”.

Broad discretionary power

Amnesty International is also concerned about the lack of supervision in police actions. This creates a “risk of arbitrariness and discriminatory use of power” such as ethnic profiling.

Translation: The #police is using everything to find out who is demonstrating, including:
👉Illegal ID checks
👉 social media monitoring
👉 home visits
📢 The government and the police must stop unlawfully monitoring peaceful #demonstrators.

This position of power has led to a pattern of intimidation by the police, as protestors claim to feel prevented from demonstrating, according to RTL Nieuws. 

Police response

Of course, the police have responded. They state that they require information to “make a risk assessment” and ensure the safety of demonstrators and bystanders.

READ MORE | Royal Dutch police must not discriminate against travellers based on appearance, Dutch court rules

The police claim to always consider if they need to gather the information to estimate “how much police capacity (they) must deploy to steer the demonstration in the right direction”. We just hope they don’t need too much “police capacity”.

They also claim that they never intend to intimidate anyone, and if this does happen, it is an “undesirable effect of their actions”.

Where do we go from here?

Amnesty International does have a plan for the police. They say that the police should make protesting easier, protect the protestors, and ask that authorities “take action to end the unlawful monitoring of peaceful protesters”.

They also request that “ID checks should only be carried out if there is a reasonable suspicion of a serious criminal offence”.

READ MORE | Identify me: Dutch police release facial reconstructions of 22 murdered women

The police have addressed this, claiming that one of the reasons to check someone’s ID is to see if they were previously involved in a public disturbance and will again be at a demonstration.

We just hope that peaceful protests remain peaceful.

What is your experience with protesting in the Netherlands? Tell us about your experiences in the comments below.

Schiphol strikes again: Dutch airport to scrap 17,000 flights this year

Ellen Ranebo
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Schiphol strikes again: Dutch airport to scrap 17,000 flights this year

Schiphol has made everyone’s travel plans just a little bit more difficult. The infamous airport has decided to scrap another 17,000 flight paths by the end of the year. 

Sadly, the only thing that will take off is the ticket prices of the remaining flights. 

Schiphol will shrink down to a mere 483,000 flight paths by this winter, even after cutting 14,500 flight paths in January. 

Why, why, why

Why, you might ask (or scream into the void)? Well, according to Hugo Thomassen, Schiphol’s slot coordinator, these are the 17,000 leftover slots for airlines that have recently gone bankrupt, he tells De Telegraaf. 

Considering the recent skyrocket in plane ticket prices, and lack of cheap flights, this bankruptcy is hardly a surprise to some of you. 

That’s not all. The scrapped 17,000 paths only make up about 30% of what the government actually intends to get rid of in the near future. By next year, Schiphol only plans to have 440,000 flight paths. 

Court to the rescue

However, there is hope — depending on where you stand. A Dutch court recently denied the government’s request to make flight path cuts. 

The government appealed that case, but apparently, the verdict won’t arrive in time; the “winter slots” will have been arranged by then. Schiphol won’t have the opportunity to cut more flights until next summer. Mwahaha. 

Disastrous effects

What are the consequences of the Dutch government’s cutting plan? After consulting with the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR), this organisation found that after the plan is fully realised in November 2024, the number of annual passengers would drop by 1.3 million. 

READ MORE | FlixBus announces “exciting experiment” launching international trains in NL

The CEBR also predicts that flights across shorter distances (say, from Schiphol to London Heathrow Airport) could be 25% more expensive. Tragic. 

On the other hand, this might keep out the British male tourists on stag trips. That is unless they take the trusty dusty train lines.

And apart from inflating the already-expensive ticket prices, these cuts could lose the country a whopping €13.6 billion per year. Yikes. 

What did Schiphol have to say for themselves? “No comment”.  

Do you think these cuts are justified? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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