Right-wing hunts political scalps over killing

3 November 2004

AMSTERDAM — Several extreme right-wing groups in the Netherlands are holding a demonstration in Amsterdam on Wednesday evening to demand Mayor Job Cohen and Interior Minister Johan Remkes resign following the killing of filmmaker Theo van Gogh.

The demonstration was originally planned for Dam Square in central Amsterdam, but has been moved to Stadiumplein at 7pm. It mimics the 20,000-strong turnout of ordinary Dutch people at an impromptu memorial service on Tuesday.

The Platform voor de Vrijheid van Meningsuiting, or Platform for Freedom of Expression, called the rally under the slogan “De Maat is Vol”, or Enough is Enough!

The organisers say following the murder on Tuesday of Van Gogh and the May 2002 shooting of populist LPF party leader Pim Fortuyn that the time had come for “action”.

But apart from demanding the resignation of Cohen and Remkes, the organisers do not say what other action they have in mind.

Those scheduled to speak at the rally include former Liveable Rotterdam (LR) councilor Michiel Smit. He established the Nieuwe Rechts, or New Right Party, after he was thrown out of LR for allegedly having links to extreme right-wing groups.

“It is important to use the demonstration to express our outrage and to demand Cohen and Remkes resign,” Nieuwe Rechts said on its website.

The youth section of Fortuyn’s LPF party is also taking part in the event.

Separately on Wednesday, police released 39 right-wingers arrested for incitement in The Hague on Tuesday evening.

Subject: Dutch news