Dutch Town Bans Pro-Palestinian Protest, But 100,000 Gather In The Hague
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
KATWIJK, NETHERLANDS (Worthy News) – The mayor of the Dutch coastal town of Katwijk banned a pro-Palestinian protest late Sunday following days of unrest when Christians were threatened for expressing support for Israel.
The ban came while in the nearby city of The Hague, the seat of government, up to 100,000 people protested the Dutch government’s stance on Israel and the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip.
Participants wore red clothing to draw a “red line,” demanding that the perceived pro-Israel government take action against what they view as Israel’s violations of international humanitarian law.“Prime Minister Schoof refuses to draw a red line. That’s why we’re doing this rally”, organizers said.
The protest, viewed as the Netherlands’ largest in the past 20 years, came while
Pro-Palestinian activists had also planned a rally in Katwijk near the town’s historic Nieuwe Kerk (New Church).
It was the same building where last week Christians attempted to observe Israel’s Independence Day despite harassment.
“Given the past week’s events, we cannot guarantee public order and safety,” Katwijk’s Mayor Cornelis Visser stated Sunday.
RARE MOVE
“After careful consideration and consultation with the Public Prosecution Service and police, I have decided to prohibit the demonstration announced for Sunday.”
The mayor defended the rare move in the freedom-of-expression-admiring Netherlands: “I understand the organizers’ desire to express their views, but at this moment, the safety and security of the public take precedence.”
Katwijk has been on edge for days.
On Wednesday, riots erupted at the New Church during a gathering organized by the advocacy group and charity Christenen voor Israel (Christians for Israel).
What started as a protest against the celebration of Israel’s Independence Day escalated into violent confrontations.
Riot police were called in as bottles, stones, and eggs were thrown by Katwijk residents toward pro-Palestine protesters arriving from outside the area , including radical Muslims.
MORE VIOLENCE
The group Christians for Israel had been the target of violence by pro-Palestine protesters before, with meetings being attacked and its offices defaced by anti-Israel graffiti, Worthy News documented.
In response to Wednesday’s unrest, around two hundred people gathered peacefully on Katwijk’s main boulevard on Saturday to express support for Israel and Christians standing up for the Jewish nation.
Several speeches were delivered, and participants carried Israeli flags. “Why do they [the pro-Palestine activists] have to hold their protest next to a church?” wondered pro-Israel demonstrator Femke. “Youth [from outside Katwijk] are driving on scooters here shouting “Free Palestine!” Families are being intimidated, some are in hiding,” she noticed.
The Katwijk municipality announced that barriers were placed to block off the boulevard for safety reasons.
Critics also linked the tensions to the massive influx of mainly Muslim migrants into the Netherlands, amid concerns about rising antisemitism here.
However, the evening remained calm and without further incident, reporters established.
Yet the events in Katwijk and The Hague underscored the emotional weight of the Israel-Gaza conflict and its impact far beyond the Middle East.
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