Dutch Railway Company Heavily Criticized on Holocaust Reparations

During the Second World War, the Dutch National Railway Company, nowadays called NS, transported Jews to Dutch transit camps and from there to the German border.  Almost all, more than a hundred thousand, were murdered.  NS has made payments to survivors and their descendants yet there are many murdered with no descendants. A collective payment should be made for this according to an independent commission.  The NS has decided to make a payment of 5.6 million dollars divided between 4 Dutch memorial centers.  It has refused to sit down with Jewish organizations to discuss the collective payment.  This refusal has received major international publicity partly due to a publication of Associated Press.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/jewish-groups-angry-at-dutch-railway-over-holocaust-reperations/

Dutch Government will not offer apology for slavery

A bad tempered debate took place in parliament about a possible Dutch apology for slavery and the Dutch role in the slave trade. Prime Minister Mark Rutte said that a formal apology could end up increasing polarization. In the meantime the cabinet has set up a special committee to look into slavery. During the debate the leader of the Green Left Party, Jesse Klaver called PVV leader Geert Wilders “an idiot.” Wilders called Klaver a “political hooligan with party members who voted for communist mass murderers.: Esther Ouwehand of the Party for the Animals compared turning a blind eye to racism to racism with conditions in factory farms.

https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2020/07/no-apology-for-slavery-says-dutch-pm-in-bad-tempered-debate-about-racism/

Amsterdam: New Report says Desperate Shortage of Toilet Provisions

Amsterdam has been acknowledging for the last 100 years that there are not sufficient toilet facilities especially for women and people with disabilities. This was mentioned in the Open Toilet Access Report published this week. There are currently only 112 open WC’s, 56 which are accessible to women and 50 accessible to handicapped.  During the Corona lockdown, a group called the Toilet Alliance has lobbied for more facilities to re-open across the country.  A spokesman for the Alliance said that Amsterdam like many Dutch cities is lagging far behind other international cities in toilet policies

https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2020/06/wc-woes-amsterdam-report-reveals-toilet-shortages-for-women-and-disabled/

Declining Support for Dutch Government Coronavirus Policy

At the start of the crisis 65% of the Dutch population supported measures in place against the Coronavirus. It has be now declined to 44% according to the Namens Nederland survey. Almost all respondents called for measures to be relaxed further. Two out of five want all restrictions lifted.

https://nltimes.nl/2020/06/25/dutch-governments-coronavirus-policy-losing-support

UK Lawyers: Netherlands Funds Terror-Linked NGO

The UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) states that the Netherlands continues to support the Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UNWC), a NGO which has multiple links with a Palestinian terrorist group. Two of its former employees are now on trial for a terrorist atrocity. Dutch minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Sigrid Kaag, has failed to respond to questions put to her by UKLFI.

www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/282324

Eindhoven: Police told to act softly against Provocations

Mayor John Jorritsma of Eindhoven has given police instructions not to react to non-violent provocations at an anti-racism demonstration in early June. Gerrit van de Kamp, Chairman of the Police Union (ACP) said that these instructions have led to anger within the police. He added: “Public order is public order. The situation becomes confusing and annoying for policemen. This is arbitrary.” 

https://www.telegraaf.nl/nieuws/2118050540/politie-moest-inhouden-bij-demo-black-lives-matter

400 Hooligans Arrested

A demonstration regarding measures taken against Corona in the Hague has been abused by football hooligans. Thousands of demonstrators peacefully protested regarding social distancing measures. Hooligans threw stones and smoke bombs at a mobile police unit and destroyed structures at building sites along the way. Most of them will be fined. A hard core nucleus are still under arrest.

https://www.telegraaf.nl/nieuws/2017909833/ongeveer-400-demonstranten-op-en-rond-malieveld-aangehouden