Dutch judge issues six-month prison sentence for attack on politician

A man who stood outside the home of the Dutch vice prime minister and finance minister in PM Mark Rutte’s new ruling coalition shouting and waving a burning torch was sent to prison Wednesday for six months.

The suspect, identified as Max van den B., was detained two weeks ago outside the home of Sigrid Kaag, the country’s former foreign minister.

Kaag was attending a debate in parliament during Wednesday’s hearing at a courtroom in The Hague and sent a written statement, she said on Twitter.

“Threats and intimidation of public figures is poison for our democratic constitutional state,” Kaag said in her statement. “We must, with each other, protect our democratic values.”

National broadcaster NOS quoted the judge as saying that Kaag “was not a random target. You had to have her because of her political role, because of her ideas that you don’t agree with.”

“But this is not the way. If you don’t agree with a politician’s ideas, vote for somebody else or show your disapproval in a peaceful way,” the judge said.

A woman who livestreamed the 5 January incident outside Kaag’s home was given a 4-month prison sentence.

NOS quoted Van den B as telling the court: “I support the video and the torch 100 per cent. I didn’t threaten anybody.”

His lawyer had sought Van den B’s acquittal, saying that he did not threaten Kaag.

Threats aimed at Dutch politicians have increased in recent years amid a polarisation fuelled by the pandemic and lockdown measures.

Prime minister Mark Rutte last week called such intimidation “completely unacceptable”.