Rapper, writer and activist Akwasi Owusu Ansah is not prosecuted for his inflammatory statements about Zwarte Piet on Dam Square. The prosecutor decided to conditionally drop the case if Awkasi took his words back. He did that on Twitter today, but Marcel Pekel from Hoogeveen is not satisfied with that. He did report it.
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“It’s really ridiculous. It’s unbelievable. Someone says sorry and I distance myself and then it’s done. When we threaten someone, it’s not that easy,” he says. And why does he report it anyway? “If you see something in society that is not right, then you have to do something about it.” He does not know whether it will yield anything. “But the decision not to prosecute is conditional, so maybe something will happen if enough people report the crime.”
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Brine finds Akwasi’s statements threatening and inflammatory. The rapper said, among other things: “The moment I see a Zwarte Piet in November, I personally kick him in the face.” The rapper distanced himself from that today, but Pekel still fears the consequences. “I don’t think he does it himself, but that inciting language, other people get a kick out of it. They think ‘yes he’s right, we have to do something about it”, says Pekel. “And for one that is campaigning and for another it may be something with violence.”
“He is a public figure with an exemplary function”, he continues. “When you do and say such things, you should be ashamed of yourself.”
Behind that make-up is a man or woman who is dressed up
According to Pekel, it is not the case that Akwasi only used imagery. “You’re talking about a person. He said he would kick a Zwarte Piet in the face. Behind that make-up is a man or woman who is dressed up. He threatens the people who play Zwarte Piet.”
In addition, some old tweets from the rapper recently surfaced. He also denounces the Hoogevener. “Black Pete must die man. Seriously. # Rental murder”, he tweeted. And “Is someone going to pop a Zwarte Piet or should I do it?” He also asked: “What am I provoking if I kill a black Pete?” He also distanced himself from those tweets. “They also seem to be out of date. And he says he has forgotten them,” says Pekel. “But in 2019 he shared a photo of him dressed as Zwarte Piet. And he makes a pistol gesture with his hand next to his head. That shows that he has been doing that for years. It is almost impossible that he no longer does that. knew.”
No threats, but statements of support
What Pekel also notes is that the discussion about Zwarte Piet is hardened by the language on social media. “Years ago we had that discussion at work. It was just talked about, but that is now becoming increasingly difficult. People are kind of silenced. And the biggest screamers are heard.”
In his own words, Pekel himself only received statements of support when it became known that he would report it. “I mainly hear noises from people who think you should stay away from Zwarte Piet. I don’t get any threats.” And if a threat does come in, Pekel does not immediately worry about it. “No, I’m not easily scared”, he concludes with a laugh.
The police did not want to confirm Marcel Pekel’s report.
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