This item is available on the Militant Islam Monitor website, at http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/1333
Dutch ban display of national flag in school for fear of offending Muslims
November 30, 2005
MIM: The Dutch Report website offers up to date news and commentary about the struggle in The Netherlands against militant Islam. Here are two stories from February and March 2005 which did not make it into the North American news.
Yesterday morning around 2.15 AM a house was firebombed in multicultural neighborhood Geuzenveld in the city of Amsterdam. Neighbors of the Pierre Cuypershof number 30 heart a laud explosion followed by smaller ones. They could not do any thing; the whole building was directly on fire. The just retired D. de Haas, a man of 65 years old, was likely burned alive and was later found by the firemen.
The police found evidence of arson and said that on the door there was a sign that looked like a swastika. Dutch language blog GeenStijl reports that just after the explosion a car with two people inside caught fire. This was very close to the burned down house. The fire in their car wounded both people. The blog says it is quite stupid to light a cigarette after an arson attack if your clothes are full of gas. But the police refuse to give any comments.
More pictures here (and here and here)
The murdered man was a native Dutchman, who took care of a local playground. Neighbors say he had often trouble with Moroccan youth who made a mess on the playground.
Local newspaper Parool reports that the man was a racist: "After a burglary he was condemning all foreigners here". But also Newspaper AD, report that the man was a racist, quoting his Turkish neighbor who said that he was known for his racist talk, he had said often that there were to many immigrants in the neighborhood (Dutch people are a minority in most areas of Amsterdam). A Moroccan woman from the neighborhood says she can understand the anger of the man: "The young [boys] hang around, act bothersome and make the atmosphere bad. But [he] should not become racist."
On a nearby square, a group of 20 boys, nearly all from foreign descent are playing football. They had been looking that afternoon to the burned out house. One of them says he had once troubles with the man: "He said we made too much noise and that we should pick up our trash. Or otherwise go back to Turkey. But I am Dutch and my parents come from Morocco".
But AT5, a local TV station, reports that his friends say that his criticism on foreigners has became fatal for him. And that although he was a big grumbler he was absolutely not a racist. But the police says they have no idea what the motive was.
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MIM: A report in the paper Het Parool says there are no signs of the perpetrators or a motive.One neighbor described the man as a 'born and bred Amsterdammer' who 'said exactly what he thought' (i.e. was not PC), and cursed foreigners after his storage shed had been burglarised. Another indication of terrorism is that this attacks comes after a story which The van Gogh had written about in which a Dutch couple had been terrorised into fleeing their homes by Moroccan youths. At the end of the piece Van Gogh asked ; "How much longer until no Dutch people are welcome in Amsterdam?". This article turned out to be one of the last ones he wrote before he was murdered.
http://www.parool.nl/nieuws/2005/MRT/17/p2.html
Brand na explosie, 1 dode
Van onze verslaggever
AMSTERDAM - Door een explosie gevolgd door een uitslaande brand in een woning aan de Pierre Cuypershof nummer 30 in Geuzenveld is vannacht een man om het leven gekomen.
Er zijn bij de woning sporen aangetroffen waaruit blijkt dat de brand is aangestoken. Dat liet een woordvoerder van de politie vanochtend weten. Op de woning stond volgens omstanders een hakenkruis gekalkt dat mogelijk verband houdt met de brandstichting.
Volgens de brandweer deed de explosie zich in de woning voor rond kwart over twee. Meteen na de ontploffing brak een korte, felle brand uit.
De brandweer, die het vuur snel onder controle had, vond het slachtoffer in de slaapkamer op de eerste verdieping. Pogingen om de man te reanimeren, mochten niet meer baten. Volgens de politie gaat het zo goed als zeker om de bewoner van het huis. Van de dader ontbrak vanmorgen nog elk spoor.
Na de brand werd het hele hof afgezet. Met een buurtonderzoek probeert de politie eventuele getuigen te vinden.
Volgens een buurvrouw van vijf huizen verderop werd de explosie gevolgd door een aantal kleinere knallen. Meteen daarna zag ze hoe de vlammen uit het pand sloegen.
Later zag ze hoe de politie een jerrycan uit het pand haalde. Of dat met de brandstichting te maken heeft, is onduidelijk. "Die man had net als ik een brommer en ik heb ook een jerrycan met benzine in huis," aldus de buurtbewoonster.
Zij kende het slachtoffer, een alleenstaande man, als een echte Amsterdammer die het hart op de tong droeg. "Toen zijn box een tijd geleden was opengebroken, stond hij te vloeken op alle buitenlanders hier," aldus de buurvrouw.
De ravage is groot. Zowel de begane grond als de eerste verdieping van de woning is volledig uitgebrand. Ramen en kozijnen ontbreken.
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MIM: Friends of the man said the attack was clearly a result of his negative remarks about foreigners which proved fatal.
Brandstichting na uitlatingen"
http://www.at5.nl/index.asp?newsid=5940
19-3-2005
Vrienden van de man die donderdag bij een aanslag in Geuzenveld overleed hebben vrijdag bloemen gelegd bij de uitgebrande resten van het woonhuis aan het Pierre Cuypershof.
Voor de vrienden is het duidelijk: zij denken dat negatieve uitlatingen over buitenlanders hem fataal zijn geworden. Hij was weliswaar een grote mopperkont, maar geen racist. Een Marokkaanse buurjongen lijkt het ook onwaarschijnlijk: het slachtoffer had volgens hem een grote bek maar ook een klein hartje.
De politie heeft 20 rechercheurs op de zaak gezet. Het werkelijke motief is vooralsnog echter niet duidelijk.
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MIM: Information on the director of the Dutch Report website:
The Dutch reporter tries to keep you informed about all kind of issues in the small kingdom of the Netherlands.
You can contact me at [email protected]
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http://dutchreport.blogspot.com/2005/02/dutch-flag-prohibited.html
Dutch flag prohibited!
Cals College in IJsselstein has prohibited two of it's students to have Dutch flags on their bags.
The 16 year old boy and his friend where told by the director of their school that they "urgently should consider" to remove the Dutch flags from their bags, it could provoke other students, mainly Moroccan students. The two considered the urgent request of the school as a prohibition.
But now biggest Dutch newspaper the Telegraaf made the story public and many Dutch are angry. Several parents of other students on the school have contacted the newspaper and say they are not surprised about what the school did, they think the school is afraid. One of the parents of the two boys thinks the same. "My son had trouble with some of these boys, but now he thinks the school blames him".
But the management of the school denies to have acted out of fear. They say they have merely acted with the security of the students in mind. They also deny the prohibition. "We wanted to start the dialog to make clear that we did not think the flag's where a good idea. That's all, he could decide him self" director Rooijen said.
Parliamentary members reacted surprised. Socialist (PvdA) and conservative Geert Wilders (independent) are going to ask the minister (CDA) questions. Wilders: "The use of out flag can not be prohibited". But the two government parties do not think so, they argue it is a matter between the school and the students.
As a result the school was on the evening news and interviews where taken in front of the school. The school has now send a letter to all the parents. In the letter they write that they try to prevent problems between students and that they do not prohibit the flag unless it is meant to hurt others peoples feelings. They say that they are proud on the students and teachers who together work on a good atmosphere and safe environment.
In a radio interview, one of the boys was asked if he was a racist. He denied and told the reporter that his mother was black. When he was asked about the incident that lead to the prohibition he explained that he had some verbal exchange with a Moroccan boy during competition swimming. As a result a group Moroccan then threatened him on school. At that moment the boy went to the school director.
Update (2005 feb 1):
Daily news paper Telegraaf now says that their are more schools who ban the Dutch flag. They write that Groene Hart Lyceum in Alphen aan den Rijn already ban the Dutch flag for nearly a year. They deny access to students who have flags on their bags or cloth. The school says they need to do this because of the new social climate. But they say prohibition is a big word, they do it in consent with the pupils...
This item is available on the Militant Islam Monitor website, at http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/1333