Shortly after protests seeking justice for the murder of George Floyd, an African-American who was killed during a police arrest, began in the United States, people in the Netherlands protested to show solidarity with Americans and to demonstrate against issues with police or racism. Vigils and protests of up to thousands of participants took place nationwide.
Reactions
Political
On 4 June, during a press conference about whether the Dutch could go on foreign holiday that year, Prime Minister Mark Rutte called the murder of George Floyd "unacceptable". Rutte also commented on the recent George Floyd protests in the Netherlands, saying that racism is not only an American and that racism in the Netherlands is a "systemic problem". He also said to have changed his mind about Zwarte Piet.
On 25 June, Mark Rutte, together with Deputy Prime Minister Kajsa Ollongren and Minister of Justice and Security Ferdinand Grapperhaus, invited several protesters at the Catshuis to discuss racism in the Netherlands and the recent demonstrations. This sparked some criticism, because lead figures of the Dutch antiracist movement, including organisers and spokespeople of organisations such as Black Lives Matter and Kick Out Zwarte Piet, were not invited. However, Rutte stated that a follow-up conversation with spokespersons and leaders of the movement would be organised in the future. This happened on 2 September, when representatives of Black Lives Matter and Kick Out Zwarte Piet were invited after all. They talked about how combat racism in different areas and how to address to issue of racism in the Netherlands. Minister of Social Affairs and Employment Wouter Koolmees joined the conversation as well. After the conversation, Rutte said he wants to "take practical steps towards zero racism", especially in the areas of health care, housing, education and employment. Rutte also said he wants to talk to more organisations together with the members of his cabinet at the end of the month about sectors where discrimination still causes problems. However, there was no third meeting.
After the two meetings at the Catshuis, Ollongren met with Black Lives Matter activists in Amsterdam-Zuidoost on 9 September to discuss the economic inequality in that area.
Public
A representative research by Hart van Nederland in early June, in which 3,066 people took, part suggests that 49% of the Dutch population supports the Black Lives Matter movement, opposed to 46% who don't support the movement. A survey in mid-June among 7,053 people by LINDA, consisting mostly of women (93%), suggests that 75.8% of the Dutch support the protests that have been taking place, opposed to 24.2% who do not.
Several Dutch celebrities showed their support for the protests and the Black Lives Matter movement, including Glennis Grace, Doutzen Kroes, Georgina Verbaan, Glen Faria (nl), Halina Reijn, Anna Nooshin (nl), Memphis Depay, Hadewych Minis, Pepijn Lanen (nl), Famke Louise, Meral Polat (nl), Nikkie de Jager, Nicolette van Dam, Jandino Asporaat and Patty Brard.
Timeline
1 June
Amsterdam: Over 5,000 people protested against police brutality in the United States and Europe. Some even speculated that up to 10,000 people attended the protest. Breda: Dozens of people protested in the city of Breda. Maastricht: Hundreds of people attended a Black Lives Matter demonstration in Maastricht.
2 June
Groningen: Between 800 and 1,500 people protested against police brutality in the United States and Europe. The Hague: Around 1,500 people gathered on the Malieveld to protest against police brutality in the United States and Europe.
3 June
Rotterdam: Thousands of people gathered in Rotterdam to protest racism and police brutality.
4 June
Arnhem: About a thousand people showed up on the Grote Markt in Arnhem.
5 June
Enschede: 500 people protested in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter Movement in Enschede. Nijmegen: A protest was held in Goffertpark in Nijmegen in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. According to the local authorities, 850 people were present, while the organisation claims there were 2,500 people. An air photo of the protest shows over 1,000 people. Utrecht: About 3,500 people protested in Utrecht in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. Weert: About 20 people demonstrated against racism in Weert.
6 June
Eindhoven: 1,700 people gathered at the Stadhuisplein in Eindhoven. They all held a moment of silence for the victims of police brutality before protesting. Tilburg: A thousand people protested in Tilburg against racism and police brutality.