Mayors in the Netherlands obstructing the right to demonstrate
In the media image: Chris Yang on Unsplash
Research by Follow the Money shows that mayors are increasingly obstructing demonstrations. Follow the Money refers to previously published research by Rowie Stolk, Assistant Professor, which shows that some municipalities even want money to organise a demonstration.
Demonstrating is a fundamental right, but in practice it is becoming increasingly difficult for citizens to exercise this right. Investigative journalism platform Follow the Money (FTM) revealed various ways in which municipalities are undermining the right to protest instead of facilitating it. It appears that mayors make unreasonable demands, including bans on certain locations, ask for money to organise the event, want advance registration, and impose prohibitions and penalties. It is also possible that demonstrations without a clear legal basis are banned. The FTM study shows that municipalities often act out of convenience or for fear of disturbing public order.
Stolk also came across many unreasonable and discouraging demands in her research, which was published in the Gemeentestem early this year. She says it is 'not known how often municipalities ask for money and how long this has been going on.' Having demonstrators pay to participate in a protest and using that money to deploy traffic controllers and police officers, is contrary to constitutional obligations. Asking demonstrators to show residence permits, or to log in to DigiD and meet other requirements, also creates unnecessary and possibly unconstitutional barriers to demonstrations.
More information?
Read the full article in FTM (€, in Dutch)
and
F.H. Fetter, A.H.M. Peters & R. Stolk, ‘Een goed begin is het halve werk: een empirische analyse van lokale kennisgevingsprocedures bij demonstraties’, Gemeentestem 2028/8, p. 37-46