Police Commissioners: Judge Sends Wrong Signal

The Council of Dutch Police Commissioners has said that the Amsterdam police judge sends the wrong signal to the public by saying that police officials must be able to deal with being attacked and subjected to violence. The judge had refused to apply double punishment to people who had attacked policemen.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/4012988/__Korpschefs_teleurgesteld__.html

Minister: More People Should be Detained for an Entire Weekend

Minister of the Interior Guusje ter Horst (Labor) thinks that people who are arrested for violence over the weekend should be kept in custody for the whole weekend. This has been the policy in the town of Amersfoort, and a few other regions have also adopted it. However, some police regions are not willing to hold people who commit a crime on Friday night in a cell till Monday morning.
www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/article1204746.ece/Ter_Horst_vaker_weekendarrangement_na_geweld

Police Concerned about Younger Brothers of Hooligans

The neighborhood police chief in Kanaleneiland in Utrecht is pleased that the municipality has extended the prohibition of gathering for a group of 40 youngsters aged 14-26 in that area. Almost all were born in the Netherlands to Moroccan parents. The youngsters have been selected because they have caused hindrance at least 10 times in the past 21 months or have been brought before the prosecution or a judge at least three times in the last five years. The police chief said that he is concerned about the future of their younger brothers who are 8-12 years old.
www.depers.nl/binnenland/309803/Grote-vrees-voor-de-kleine-broertjes.html

Insurance Company Willing to Reimburse 315 Million Euro for Overcharging

The Achmea insurance company has announced that it is willing to pay up to 315 million Euro to clients who were overcharged on their policies on investment insurance. This concerns policies which have become known as usury policies due to their high costs. www.telegraaf.nl/dft/nieuws_dft/4007420/__Achmea_compenseert_klanten_met_beleggingspolis__.html

Trade Union: Officials Should Stop Work if Attacked

The trade union Abvakabo wants to include in labor agreements a stipulation that municipal officials will have the right to stop working if they are attacked or confronted with violence. The trade union wants binding agreements with municipalities regarding safety in the work place. Voluntary agreements have not worked so, for instance, a year ago a central nationwide registration system was established which would register incidents against officials, but only six municipalities participated.
www.depers.nl/economie/309035/Werk-neerleggen-bij-agressie.html

Congregation Prohibition in Utrecht again Extended

For the third consecutive time the prohibition on congregating in the Utrecht neighborhood Kanaleneiland Noord is being extended. In the coming six months a group of about 40 youngsters will be forbidden from congregating in any way in that neighborhood. These prohibitions have led to a decline in criminality and a feeling of greater safety in the neighborhood. Yet the municipality says that the nuisance caused by these youngsters remains a major problem.www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/article1204069.ece/Samenscholingsverbod_Kanaleneiland_verlengd?source=rss

Soldiers at Risk from Poor Dental Care

Many dentists who work for the Ministry of Defense work under unhygienic conditions. Therefore soldiers who are having dental treatment sometimes run major health risks. Last year a military dentist continued to use an instrument which have already been declared unfit for use because it was infected with legionella bacteria. This was written in the annual report of the Inspectorate of Military Health. There is a great shortage of military dentists and oral hygienists. Many of those employed have little motivation to work or are overworked. Much sophisticated diagnostic technology cannot be used because of the lack of software.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/3994283/__Tandarts_in_leger_smerig__.html

Leftists Arrested at Right-Wing Demonstration

Forty people were arrested at a demonstration of the extreme right-wing NVU movement in Den Bosch. They were mainly extreme leftists who did not have a permit for a counter demonstration. The NVU was demonstrating against the high bonus payments in the business world.
www.trouw.nl/nieuws/nederland/article2767266.ece/Linkse_betogers_aangehouden_bij_demonstratie_NVU.html

Major Increase in Missing Children

According to the national police services (KLPD) there has been a major increase in the number of children missing in the Netherlands. There are presently 604 children missing as opposed to 353 in January 2007. The KLPD says that the increase derives mainly from children being kidnapped by parents and smuggled abroad.
www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/article1203377.ece/Forse_stijging_aantal_vermiste_kinderen?source=rss

Orwellian World Arrives at Amsterdam Airport

During the last three years a surveillance system has been prepared which enables military police and customs employees to watch every part of the airport. The Telegraaf daily has obtained secret information which shows that the system will be put into operation in June. Initially it will only function in public areas but later it will work in other parts of the airport as well, including the luggage handling facilities where drug gangs are active on a large scale.
www.telegraaf.nl/reiskrant/3982759/__Schiphol_bespiedt_reiziger__.html?p=30,1

Ninety-two Arrested in Neighborhood

In the past 12 months 92 arrests have been made in the infamous Diamond St. neighborhood in Amsterdam. This was announced in a letter to the municipal council by Deputy Mayor Lodewijk Asscher. This neighborhood has suffered for many years from major problems with youngsters - mainly of Moroccan background. The crimes committed include break-ins, street robberies, theft, kidnapping, insulting officials and breaking laws regarding weapons and drugs. In the coming days Amsterdam’s top officials will discuss this problem.http://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/3975488/__Pakket_maatregelen_tegen_overlast_Diamantbuurt__.

Wilders to be Brought to Trial

J.W. Fokkens, prosecutor-general of the supreme court, has rejected the request by Bram Moszkowicz, the lawyer of Freedom Party leader Geert Wilders, to halt the case brought against him for insulting Muslims. It is not yet known when Wilders will have to appear in court.
www.parool.nl/parool/nl/224/BINNENLAND/article/detail/243866/2009/05/20/Justitie-vervolgt-Wilders.dhtml

Political Parties in Gouda Demand Stronger Measures Against Hooligans

Various political parties have demanded that stronger measures be taken against Moroccan hooligans in the problem town of Gouda. Christian Democrats say that the authorities must put an end to the street violence, sexual assault as well as throwing stones at the police. The local party Gemeente Belangen Gouda says that if the police won’t show that they are in charge, riots may get out of control and there will be many wounded and possibly, people could even be killed. A police spokesman said that since January 2009, 539 arrests have been made and about 300 fines were given for vandalism.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/3968018/___Marokkanen_te_soft_aangepakt___.html

Rotterdam Starts Program Against Forced Marriage of Young Girls

Alderman Jantine Kriens (Labor) has informed the municipal council that the municipality has started a program to prevent the forced marriage of young girls in their country of origin. Girls can sign a declaration at school against forced marriage. If they do not return after a holiday, the school can contact the police. and this declaration can then be the legal basis to attack forced stay in another country. Every year after the summer holidays young girls, for instance of Moroccan, Turkish and Pakistani ethnicity, do not return to the Netherlands.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/3968446/__Uithuwelijking_aangepakt__.html

Renovation of National Museum takes Double the Planned Time

Minister of Culture Plasterk (Labor) expects the national museum to open in the first half of 2013. By then the renovations will have taken 10 years instead of the originally planned five years. A new contractor has been hired.
www.volkskrant.nl/kunst/article1201417.ece/Alsnog_akkoord_renovatie_Rijksmuseum

Gouda: Policy Makers Silent about Multiple Incidents

In the problem town of Gouda the mayor, police, other authorities and politicians are remaining silent about the multiple problems with Moroccan youngsters in the town. Last week hooligans of Moroccan descent threw stones on a police car when policemen tried to arrest two thieves. A day later hoodlums broke bottles and threw products in a supermarket. When the policemen tried to arrest one of them, others destroyed the windows of the police car. The police didn’t want to do anything, calling it simple vandalism, but after major criticism of their behavior by national politicians, they decided to arrest six Moroccans.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/3960142/__Goudse_beleidsmakers_zwijgen_over_agressie__.html

Exam Question Promotes Leftist Thinking

Parliamentarian Dezentjé of the Liberal Party has said that tens of thousands of pupils of high school level are being brainwashed by an exam question with leftist connotations. More than 50,000 youngsters examined were given a question about the Liberal Party looking down on those receiving social payments. The question was structured in such a way that they had to answer in the affirmative.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/3960151/__Hersens_kraken_in_gymzaal_VVD_woedend_om__links__eindexamen__.html

Arrested Pirates Love the Netherlands

Somalians suspected of piracy who are being brought to court in the Netherlands want to stay in the country. After a week in a Dutch jail one of them said, “I want to learn a profession in jail and will ask the authorities not to send me back to Somalia.” He added that the food is good, he can play football and watch television. He particularly appreciates the toilet in his cell.
www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/article1199799.ece/Piraten_verguld_met_Nederland

Parliament Criticizes Prime Minister’s Refusal to Receive Dalai Lama

A majority of Parliament wants Prime Minister Balkenende to appear before the body to explain why he is refusing to meet the Dalai Lama when he visits the Netherlands next week. Alexander Pechtold of the left-of-center D-66 party said: “It shows that Balkenende isn’t a great leader and is unable to function in the world theatre.” Geert Wilders of the Freedom Party (PVV) said: “If he were taking human rights seriously, he wouldn’t let himself be intimidated by the Chinese. It shows that Balkenende has no backbone.”
http://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/3951237/__Premier_op_matje_om_dalai_lama__.htm
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Dutch Tibetans: Prime Minister is Weak Kneed

The Tibetan community in the Netherlands has reproached Prime Minister Balkenende (Christian Democrats) saying he has weak knees because he refuses to meet the Dalai Lama. The Chinese ambassador in the Netherlands had written a letter that such a meeting would be badly received in Beijing. Balkenende said that the Chinese government is sensitive to meetings of western leaders with the Dalai Lama. He added that Foreign Minister Verhagen (Christian Democrats) will speak with the Dalai Lama.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/3945482/___Balkenende_heeft_slappe_knieen___.html

Belgian Soldiers Give Ammunition to Children

The deputy mayor of Den Helder says that he never again wants the Belgian army as a guest of the town. Pictures from a surveillance camera in a snack bar show Belgian soldiers distributing exercise ammunition to children. At schools in the neighborhood children were found to have such ammunition as well as used bullets in their school bags. The Belgian army has brought this matter before a military court.http://www.standaard.be/Artikel/Detail.aspx?artikelId=EA2AD8UN

Economy Shrinks 4.5% in First Quarter

According to estimates by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) the Dutch economy shrank in the first quarter of 2009 by 4.5% compared to the same period of 2008. This is the greatest decline on record since the Second World War. Compared to the last quarter of 2008 the decline was 2.8%, the greatest quarter on quarter decline the CBS can recall.
www.trouw.nl/nieuws/economie/article2759749.ece/Schrik_over_krimp_economie.html

Costs of Royal Family: 119 Million Euro

The National Annual Report for 2008 shows that the cost of maintaining the royal family is almost 119 million Euro annually. Security costs amount to 14 million Euro and maintenance and renovations of palaces about 43 million Euro. Payments to the Queen, Crown Prince Willem-Alexander and his wife Maxima amount to 6.1 million Euro. This however includes the salaries of the staff supervised directly by them.
www.trouw.nl/nieuws/nederland/article2760315.ece/Kosten_koningshuis__119_miljoen_in_2008.html

Police Spokesman: Throwing Stones at Policemen Not Something Special

Chris van Egmond, spokesman of the Holland Center Police Region, says that throwing stones at policemen is nothing special. It happens everywhere. He added that you cannot arrest someone for throwing stones, therefore the youngsters who threw stones at a police car in Gouda were only fined 90 Euros for hooliganism.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/3917880/___Politie_bekogelen__Ach..._baldadigheid___.html?

Explosive Growth in Number of Diabetics

Research by the National Institute of Health and Environment (RIVM) has found that, in the next 10-15 years, the number of diabetes patients will reach 1.3 million. This is 80% more than the current number. The reasons for this increase include obesity and lack of activity.
www.parool.nl/parool/nl/4/AMSTERDAM/article/detail/242268/2009/05/12/Leerlingenvervoer-spugen-slaan-smijten.dhtml

Major Investments in Neighborhoods Useless

A not-yet published report by the research institutes SEO and Atlas, on behalf of municipalities, shows that the hundreds of millions of Euros that housing corporations have invested to improve the viability of neighborhoods have been wasted. In 2007 they spent 305 million Euros. The research shows that sometimes these investments even have a negative effect because only a few people benefit and others feel excluded.
www.parool.nl/parool/nl/4/AMSTERDAM/article/detail/242268/2009/05/12/Leerlingenvervoer-spugen-slaan-smijten.dhtml

Handicapped Children Threaten Bus Drivers

There have been many incidents of poor behavior in the Amsterdam transport service for handicapped children. Some children spit in the face of drivers, threaten other children or commit acts of vandalism. The Amsterdam social services department (DMO) now intends to have someone in addition to the driver to accompany the children.
www.parool.nl/parool/nl/4/AMSTERDAM/article/detail/242268/2009/05/12/Leerlingenvervoer-spugen-slaan-smijten.dhtml

Minister: Less Policemen than Planned in Future

In a confidential report Minister of the Interior Guusje Ter Horst (Labor) states that the police can recruit only 3,000 new people in the years 2010-2012. This is half of what had been planned. In a confidential reaction those mayors who are responsible for the police in their towns, have protested. They claim that less policemen means less security on the streets.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/3906349/__Minder_blauw_op_straat__.html

Molotov Cocktail Thrown at Mosque

On Friday night perpetrators threw a rock through the window of the Al Qibla mosque in the town of Zoetermeer. Later a Molotov cocktail was thrown into the mosque. Firemen extinguished the blaze before it could spread.
www.ad.nl/denhaag/zoetermeer/3209692/Aanslag_met_brandbom_op_moskee.html

Reliability of School Diplomas at Risk

The education inspectorate has said in its report for the year 2007-2008, that in many middle and high schools, the composition of exams and their assessment leaves much to be desired. In one category of schools, only 4% of the examiners fully respect the rules. Half of them adapt exams according to the needs of their students, help the pupils, or are flexible in grading.
www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/article1197031.ece/Betrouwbaarheid_diploma_s_loopt_gevaar

Court: Small Cafes Not Required to Respect Prohibition of Smoking

The court in Den Bosch has ruled that cafes with no staff other than the owner do not have to respect the law prohibiting smoking. The court judged that the law had been poorly phrased. The café owner had admitted that he intentionally broke the law.
www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/article1196597.ece/Rookverbod_in_kleine_horeca_niet_geldig

Geese are Major Danger at Amsterdam Airport

Flocks of geese searching for food have become an increasing danger for planes at Amsterdam Airport. The chance of potentially life-threatening collisions has increased greatly in recent years. This was reported in an internal document of the airport and the Inspectorate for Transport and Waterways. The chairman of the International Bird Strike Committee Luit Buurma said that birds are hit daily by planes. Their bodies then just lie next to the landing strip.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/3885740/__Ganzen_groot_gevaar_vliegtuigen__.html?p=31,2

Government Officials Unwilling to Serve Under PVV Minister

A poll taken by the government employees’ newspaper Republic shows that 54% of such employees are not willing to work under a Freedom Party (PVV) minister or deputy minister. Sixty-eight percent think it would be a disaster if the PVV would be in the government. After this poll PVV leader Geert Wilders asked Minister of Interior Guusje ter Horst (Labor Party) if such employees can be fired as the rule says that they must work under all democratically chosen politicians.
www.trouw.nl/nieuws/nederland/article2753457.ece/Ambtenaren_willen_niet_onder_Wilders_werken.html

Somali Pirates Seize Dutch Ship

Somali pirates have captured a Dutch ship in the Gulf of Aden. The pirates are able to operate freely because Somalia hasn’t had an effective central government for over 20 years. The UN backed government controls only limited territory and is fighting an Islamic insurgency.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gB7YMEDuCwwY9ncDOtPAkEI4-H2wD981ED3G0

Afghans Shoot at Army Base where Dutch Minister is Staying

Maxime Verhagen, the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs (Christian Democrats) was staying at the air force base of Kandahar in Afghanistan when it was hit by rockets. Three hundred Dutch soldiers are stationed at this base, which is frequently targeted.
www.trouw.nl/nieuws/nederland/article2753457.ece/Ambtenaren_willen_niet_onder_Wilders_werken.html

Insufficient Control of Various Bodies by Board Members

Morris Tabaksblat, a former chairman of Unilever and past chairman of the commission which dealt with the behavioral code for the business world, says that board members of housing cooperatives, hospitals, care institutions and pension funds do not do their supervisory work sufficiently. This is due to the fact that they have many other part-time positions. Former deputy minister Rick van der Ploeg (Labor Party) said that, for instance, because of this, the ABP, one of the largest pension funds in the world, is not managed properly.
http://twitter.com/trouw/status/1729623863

Amsterdam Hooligans Have Become Criminals

Commissioner Leen Schaap, head of the police in Amsterdam South, has said that a group of 20 hooligans from the Diamantbuurt neighborhood in Amsterdam has gradually become a band of hard core criminals. This is despite the major investment by the social authorities in this neighborhood. Schaap added that these youngsters are now involved in armed robberies all over the country and there are indications that they are also involved in drug trade. The commissioner said that one of the reasons that so little can be done is that the parents refuse to cooperate with the authorities, and there is no law which can force them to do so. He added that younger brothers of these criminals are now following in the footsteps of their older siblings.
www.parool.nl/parool/nl/7/MISDAAD/article/detail/241813/2009/05/09/Jongeren-Diamantbuurt-zwaar-crimineel.dhtml

Amsterdam Neighborhood Ends Collaboration with Mosques

The neighborhood council of De Baarsjes in Amsterdam has discontinued its agreement with a number of mosques. The agreement of 2004, concluded after the murder of Theo van Gogh by radical Muslims, was meant to counteract extremism. The leaders of the mosques had promised to monitor radicalization. They were bound to inform the police of crimes in the area. The neighborhood council says the agreement has contributed little to the battle against extremism.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/3883968/__A_dam_beeindigt_contract_moskeeen__.html

Emergency Measures for Queen’s Visit to Amsterdam

In view of the attack in Apeldoorn on Queen’s Day, emergency measures were taken for Queen Beatrix’s visit to Amsterdam Southeast. This included preventive frisking in the neighborhood by the police. In certain areas people were not allowed to be on balconies or roofs where they could see the Queen as she passed through the neighborhood. Windows also had to remain closed. A spokesman for the Amsterdam municipality has announced that such emergency measures might be taken in the future as well, when members of the royal family visit the city.
www.trouw.nl/nieuws/nederland/article2753343.ece/Noodverordening_bezoek_Beatrix_kunstmanifestatie.html

Rotterdam Liberation Day Festivities End Early Due to Unrest

A police spokesman said that the Liberation Day (5 May) festivities in Rotterdam had to be stopped early after policemen were attacked and bottles were thrown at them. They were forced to shoot in the air to disperse the crowds.
www.nrc.nl/binnenland/article2233541.ece/Feest_bij_Erasmusbrug_voortijdig_beeindigd

TV News Service Manipulates Applause for Queen

Marcel Gelauff, the deputy head of the National NOS Television News, has expressed his regrets that the service artificially increased the length of the applause for Queen Beatrix at the ceremony on Memorial Day (4 May).
www.volkskrant.nl/sport/article1194142.ece/NOS_betreurt_verlengen_applaus_voor_Beatrix?service=Print

Data Bank against Holocaust Denial Installed

Elisa Friedmann of the Center for Information and Documentation Israel (CIDI) has announced that, together with the umbrella organization of Dutch Jewry (CJO), a data bank on the Holocaust has been established to counter the increase in Holocaust denial. Friedmann said that this information is needed because negation of the Holocaust is very much alive. She added that this was recently proved, for instance, when seemingly respectable people such as the British Bishop Richard Williamson expressed such opinions.
www.refdag.nl/artikel/1408292/CIDI+in+actie+tegen+ontkennen+Holocaust.html

Major Frauds to be Announced

The Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) has uncovered major investment frauds. It will shortly announce the first of these, which concern tens of millions of Euros. This was said by Marcus Wagemakers, head of the AFM integrity department. He added that one of the cases involves about 70 million Euro and another involves 40 million Euro. The AFM receives about 60 tips about frauds each week, some true and false ones. The 30 people working in his department are having difficulty in coping with the work load.
www.volkskrant.nl/economie/article1193081.ece/AFM_omvangrijke_beleggingsfraudes_op_het_spoor

Bishop Resisted Unmasking Fraudulent Deacon

Everard de Jong, the assistant bishop of Roermond, testified under oath yesterday in the Maastricht court. He said that in 2005 Bishop Frans Wiertz had vetoed his proposal to confront Deacon Joep Haffmans of Gulpen with accusations of theft from the charity accounts and of having sexual relations with women. Haffmans had already admitted responsibility for the financial scandal in 1999. His ex-girlfriend, who has brought a case against the diocese, testified about his sexual affairs with her and other members of the community and his threats against her. The woman holds the diocese financially responsible for expenses incurred in treatment for the sexually transmitted illness she caught from the deacon.
www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=trouw%2C+verzet+bisschop+tegen+ontmaskering&btnG=Google+Search&aq=f&oq=

Memorial Silence at Soccer Match Interrupted

Before the soccer match between Utrecht and the visiting Feyenoord soccer tram from Rotterdam a minute of silence had been planned in memory of those killed in the attack on Queen’s Day in the town of Apeldoorn. However, supporters of the home team quickly started to curse the visitors, who then reciprocated. The referee decided to cancel the memorial.
http://www.telegraaf.nl/telesport/voetbal/3836125/__Stilte_in_Utrecht_wreed_verstoord__.html?p=2,1

Journalists Avoid Neighborhoods due to Aggression

Criminologist Frank Bovenkerk has undertaken a study of aggression against journalists in problem neighborhoods which he has called “Shut up with the camera.” Three hundred seventy-four of the journalists interviewed said that they had been attacked physically or threatened. Some required hospital treatment. The aggression concerns both TV journalists and photographers who have sometimes had material stolen or destroyed. Other journalists have also been threatened.www.trouw.nl/nieuws/nederland/article2747944.ece/Agressieve_bewoners_verjagen_journalisten_.html

Hospital Knew About Criminal Record of Surgeon who Caused Deaths

The Scheper Hospital in Emmen knew of the criminal record of the surgeon who caused deaths related to stomach operations. He had been condemned in Germany for causing a death by forgetting a piece of cloth in the stomach of a patient. This has been admitted by the chairman of the board of that hospital.www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/article1192292.ece/Ziekenhuis_Emmen_wist_van_medisch_strafblad_chirurg

Parliamentarian Resigns After Being Fined for Smuggling

Senate member Paul Russell (Christian Democrat) has resigned after being fined for smuggling. In 2003 he imported a Rembrandt drawing without paying value added tax.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/3804489/__Smokkelende_senator__CDA__stapt_op__.html

Seven Dead in Car Driver’s Assault on Royal Family

Seven people, including the perpetrator, were killed when a man drove his car into a crowd gathered for a Queen’s Day parade in the town of Apeldoorn. Twelve others were wounded. The driver aimed at the royal coach where Queen Beatrix and her family were sitting. The man responsible for the crash had recently lost both his home and his job.
www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/05/02/Death-toll-from-Queens-Day-crash-at-seven/UPI-28551241289529/

Many Dutchmen: Muslims Have Come to our Country to Subdue Us

A poll by the TNS-Nipo firm for the weekly Vrij Nederland shows that many more people support the ideas of right-wing Freedom Party Geert Wilders than those willing to vote for him. Thirty-eight percent of all Dutch voters think that Muslims have come to the Netherlands to “take over the country and subdue us,” Sixty-one percent agree with Wilders’ statement that “street terrorists should be deported from the Netherlands.”
Wilders said this after Moroccan youngsters rioted in the town of Gouda.
On the other hand, 53% think Wilders should be prosecuted for some of his statements.
www.trouw.nl/nieuws/nederland/article2736812.ece/_Steun_voor_Wilders_twee_keer_zo_groot_.html