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'You Tweet A Lot… Watch Your Tone': Cops Threaten Dutch Man For Opposing Govt Mass Migration Plans
by Raheem Kassam and Chris Tomlinson https://www.legal-project.org/4483/you-tweet-a-lot-watch-your-tone-cops-threaten Dutch cops are policing anti-mass migration comments, even threatening social media users of "sedition" for opposing government policies. The news has emerged after police paid visits to warn multiple people who made anti-mass migration comments on social media, reports DW.com.Mark Jongeneel, a small business owner in the Dutch city of Sliedrecht, tweeted: "The college of Sliedrecht has a proposal to receive 250 refugees in the coming 2 years. What a bad plan! #letusresist" Mr. Jongeneel then got a visit to his mother's house, and subsequently his place of work, from police who wanted to warn him over his comments. Speaking to DW.com, he described the events: "I asked them what the problem was and they said 'your tweets.' "They asked me to be careful about my Twitter behaviour, because if there are riots, then I'm responsible." "You tweet a lot," said the police, explaining: "We have orders to ask you to watch your tone. Your tweets may seem seditious". It can only be surmised that police were referring to the hashtag #letusresist when talking about responsibility for anyone rioting. The hashtag, which in Dutch is #kominVerzet, is commonly used by people who oppose mass migration, mostly sharing articles and videos and expressions of anger and anxiety. Nowhere in the hashtag could it be seen that anyone was mentioning organised rioting or violence. And Mr. Jongeneel was not the only person visited by police. Another Dutch man by the name of Johan from Kaatsheuvel was visited after he had posted a Facebook status that said: "There was a meeting in the council hall, an information evening, just for the people of our city." He added: "we had to get together at the market square to have a protest, because, I will be very honest, we're not happy with the asylum seekers in our country." The city of Kaatsheuvel has plans to house at least 1,200 migrants and Johan's protest at the market was meant to merely show his resistance to the idea. Police allegedly intimidated Johan into not going ahead with his protest and he wrote after their visit, "just had a visit from the police with the friendly request not to call for a meeting at the market tomorrow or Monday." According to a friend of Johan's, who wished to remain anonymous, between seven or eight others were also visited by police in the town that day for similar social media posts. Related Topics: Pressure Tactics Against Free Speech receive the latest by email: subscribe to the legal project's free mailing list Note: The content of external articles does not necessarily reflect the views of The Legal Project. |
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