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March 15, 2007

Dutch youths riot

Rosslyn Smith
The Brussels Journal has been following the outbreak of rioting by the non-immigrant residents of a working class neighborhood in the Dutch town of Utrecht following the death last Sunday of Rinie Mulder, a 54-year old indigenous Dutchman who was shot by a police officer.  

This incident apparently followed many complaints by residents about intimidation intimidation  youths of Moroccan origin.
Apparently Mulder intervened when Muslim youths harassed a pregnant native Dutch woman. He was able to grab the knife of one of the youths. When the police arrived Mulder was shot because he had raised the knife. Witnesses say Mulder was indicating to the police that he had called for them.
The blog Klein Verzet reports in some detail that media and government officials are trying to place the blame on football style hooliganism (for which Utrecht fans have a deserved reputation). The activities of Turkish "youths" in this working class community are mostly ignored by the media and government.   Klein Verzet also notes

When ‘youths' where involved Dutch government never took such measures, the tough repressive action seem reserved for the native Dutch folks before he asks this excellent question.  One can only wonder, how much more confidence the people in the neighborhood will get in a government that does not protect them but arrests them...

Posted at 01:04 PM | Email |

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