NOS News•
Minister Kaag of Finance was welcomed yesterday afternoon by a group of about fifty demonstrators in Diepenheim, in Overijssel. Part of the group carried flaming torches. Kaag talked to them for a short time.
The D66 minister was in Diepenheim to campaign for the elections for the Provincial Council. Then she participated in a political meeting in Herberg De Pol. Tractors were parked along the road to the cultural center. She wouldn’t be able to pass there by car and then had to get out and cover the last 500 feet on foot.
A group was waiting for her at the center. According to campaign manager Hanneke van der Werf, who was at the meeting, Kaag went inside after ten minutes “because the demonstrators didn’t really want to talk”. She subsequently participated in the program. The group left after about an hour and a half.
Several videos of the protesters carrying torches are circulating on social media:
Earlier, a flyer of the activist group Combatants Twente was distributed. In it, residents of Diepenheim were called upon to give Kaag a “warm welcome”. The minister was aware of the demonstration.
Several politicians are outraged at the protesters’ action. Fellow Minister of Foreign Affairs Hoekstra speaks on Twitter of “an absolute disgrace”. “Let everyone, including ALL politicians, do their job normally, in complete safety.”
BBB leader Van der Plas cannot appreciate the action either. “I’m not a fan of D66 at all, but act normal,” she tweeted.
At the beginning of January last year, Amsterdammer Max van der B. stood in front of Minister Kaag’s house with a burning torch. He shouted slogans at her. His action was filmed and posted on social media.
