The police left too much space for the supporters of the black-faced Piets at the Sinterklaas parade in De Lier on Saturday, allowing them to attack the Kick Out Zwarte Piet (KOZP) demonstrators at close range. The police also intervened too late, creating a dangerous situation, the action group stated in reaction to the events during the parade. "KOZP's right to demonstrate was not protected for the umpteenth time."
Sinterklaas comes to the Netherlands on Saturday. The holy man will be the first to be welcomed in the Zuid-Holland town of Gorinchem, where 20,000 people are expected to wait for him. Zaterdag komt Sinterklaas uit Spanje aan in Gorinchem. De burgemeester heeft in ieder geval zin om de goedheiligman te mogen ontvangen. #WNL pic.twitter.com/fcrWcbVixn
The police dispersed a group of people in De Lier on Saturday who were throwing fireworks at the Kick Out Zwarte Piet demonstrators, among other things. Officers with shields and batons tried to keep the two groups apart beforehand, according to an ANP reporter on the scene.