'Lèse Majesté', Insults and Protests against the Royal Family

[anirac]

The judiciary of Amsterdam go to law with a 47year old man, who insult the Queen. He said towards the police: "I hate your Queen. The Queen of the Netherlands is whore." And then he told about the things he would do with her (in sexual sense). The man is going to accuse of lèse-majesté.


P.S. It is not Hans Teeuwen

 

[lucien]

Oh My GOD!!!


By the way:

The judiciary of Amsterdam go to law with a 47year old man, who insult the Queen. He said towards the police: "I hate your Queen. The Queen of the Netherlands is whore." And then he told about the things he would do with her (in sexual sense). The man is going to accuse of lèse-majesté.


P.S. It is not Hans Teeuwen

Instead of the maximum of 5 years imprisonement and a 12.000 euro fine,he got away with 7 days imprisonement and a 400 euro fine.

The first time in many many years someone was convicted in a case of lèse-majesté.

And,no,it wasn't Hans Teeuwen,as the smuck said;"Your Queen" it must be a foreigner,or one that benefits from what he has here and forgets to be gratefull,anyway,they didn't even release so much as initials of the guy,it might prompt people to utter politically incorrect remarks towards a certain branch of inhabitants.

 

[Henri M.]

crimen læsæ Maiestatis

There have been quite a number of penalties in the latest years. The Judges are less soft then they were in the decades before. It fits in the general increase of toughness on crime in the Netherlands. In the Netherlands Penal Code you can find three articles on crimen læsæ Maiestatis:

Article 111:
Intentional insulting of The King is prosecutable with a detention of maximum 5 years and/or a monetary fine of the fourth category.

Article 112:
Intentional insulting of the spouse of The King, the Heir Apparent and the spouse of the Heir Apparent is prosecutable with a detention of maximum 4 years and/or a monetary fine of the fourth category.

Article 113:
He who openly distributes written or imagined contents in which an insult is made of The King, the spouse of The King, the Heir Apparent, the spouse of the Heir Apparent or the Regent, or has these in stock and is aware of the insulting content of it, is prosecutable with a detention of maximum 1 year and/or a monetary fine of the third category.

 

[Marengo]

I believe the man is from Surinam. Apart from insulting the Queen he made rascist remarks about white people in general. I believe the man was drunk and/or on Drugs, rather sad.
The fine of 400 euros is absolutely rediculous, the guy had to be dragged to court, so IMHO he should at least cover those expenses. Like this I think the lese-majesty is just a hollow phrase, which is best abolished as it clearly is not enforced.

 

[Marengo]

From DutchNews.nl brings daily news from The Netherlands in English:

--
Young reporter arrested for insulting queen

Wednesday 01 August 2007
A 17-year old journalist and a cameraman from internet magazine Spunk were arrested on Dam square in Amsterdam on Tuesday evening, on charges of insulting queen Beatrix.
--

read the entire of the article here.

 

[BeatrixFan]

Anyone from a magazine of that name was bound to be trouble.

 

[Marengo]

It actually a website, Spunk, they organised several parties in Amsterdam, a bit underground/artsy. I believe the son of Mathijs van Nieuwkerk (the man who recently interviewed Princess Mabel) is one of the editors at the moment.

 

[lucien]

From DutchNews.nl brings daily news from The Netherlands in English:

--
Young reporter arrested for insulting queen

Wednesday 01 August 2007
A 17-year old journalist and a cameraman from internet magazine Spunk were arrested on Dam square in Amsterdam on Tuesday evening, on charges of insulting queen Beatrix.
--

read the entire of the article here.

Lucky people I didn't see them first.Honestly,very lucky indeed.

 

[susan alicia]

nu.nl/algemeen | 'Hogere straf majesteitsschennis onaanvaardbaar'

constitutional law expert Peter Rehwinkel has opened a discussion about the difference in punishment between insulting the queen and a civilian. Two people have recently been arrested for calling Beatrix a whore and another for wearing a simular message on her tshirt. For insulting the queen the punishment is max 5 years and for insulting a civilian between 2 months and max 2 years.

 

[Henri M.]

No majority in the Chamber to change Crimen laesae Majestatis

The majority in the Second Chamber of the States-General does not want to change the present articles in the Netherlands Penal Code on Crimen læsæ Majestatis.

Mr. Peter Rehwinkel, a prominent juridician and expert on the monarchy has asked in an opinion why crimes or insults against The King should be punished more than crimes against others? Of course he rejects any insult against Queen Beatrix, but asks himself if it is wise to keep that difference in penalties.?

Also the spouse of The King, the Heir Apparent, the spouse of the Heir Apparent and the Regent are protected by the articles on Crimen læsæ Majestatis.

Reason for the biggest party in the Chamber (the Christian Democrats) to block any change to these articles: "It is not about insulting a Mrs. Van Oranje-Nassau. It is about insulting the Head of State. Symbol for everything the Netherlands wants to be: a decent country where people treat each other with respect."

Reason for the biggest party in the opposition (Socialistic Party), to have understanding for the difference in penalty when the Queen is insulted: due to the ministerial responsiblity The Queen can not defend herself. Senator Van Raak (Socialistic Party) adds to this: "Of course it would be better when The Queen herself is no part of the Government. Then we have solved the problem as well."

In the Netherlands, in contrary to most other monarchies, The Queen is an integral part of the Government. She does not stand above it. She is in it:

Constutution of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Section 2
The King and the Ministers

Article 42

(1) The Government shall comprise of The King and the Ministers.

(2) The King is inviolable. The ministers are responsible.

 

[Marengo]

In Dordrecht a 45 y/o man has been convicted to 4 months in prison for insulting the Queen. The man was not convicted for threatening the Queen. He said that he would put a bullit in the Queens head, but as the man was drunk at the time of the remark the court did not find it a 'realistic' threat.

Note that he also insulted & threatened the police and members of the the salvation army, which is probably the main reason for the 4 months emprisonment.

 

[Marengo]

Queen Beatrix 'Hanged' on Anarchist Poster; April 2008

The Anarchistic Group Amsterdam is using a poster of a blindfolded Queen Beatrix hanging from a gallow and with the text 'Death to the Queen' to promote a party they have on 29 April.

The PVV party wanted a debate about this in parlament but found no support. VVD member Fred Teeuwen called the poster 'tasteless' but thought it was a matter for the police and the public prosecutor, not for parlament. Green-Left leader Femke Halsema had a simular opinion.

PVV parlamentarian Brinkman wants to forbid the entire anarchist group, he suspects that the party will be organised from the squatershouse 'Vrankrijk' on Spuistraat in Amsterdam.

To be continued, no doubt...

 

[lucien]

Lesée Majestée of the worst possible nature!
Unheard of and not to be tolerated.
As most of these scum bags at Vrankrijkare international misfits,including ETA sympathisers,no,no joke but true,
ask Marengo,kick all of that scum out of our country!!Tolerance,YES,abuse of tolerance,HECK NO,never again.

To be continued,but not for long,if it was up to me.

Like I said,let the marines move into action in a spontaneous way again,like they did decades ago whiping
the National Monument on the Dam Square free of scum,unexpectedly.

I'm not too much right-wing,no PVV nor TON,but jeez,would I love to be part of that action.

No more BS,sub-zero tolerance at once,immediatly!!!

Hope those whiners in The Hague (parliament/gov.) get the message,before it is delivered at their doorstep.

 

[Marengo]

The politicians won't do anything in this matter I think, and quite rightly so as the police/public office should decide what to do in this matter, not the piliticians.

I have little sympathy for these anarchists/squaters. though I have met several of them (and they were quite friendly) their organisation is used for ETA and even FARC. And the way some squaters are treating the police (sabotaging houses so the police will get injured) and such are criminal too. I am usually wondering why the city of Amsterdam doesn't do much against these criminals, I suppose the squaters movement has this romantic image from the 60-ties and many babyboomers that are now in power still think they are as harmless as in those days.

The poster will probably be defended with the 'freedom of expression' argument, though it puzzles me what they want to express. In over-all I think actions like these aren't very bright of the squaters. Dutch society has made a firm move to the right (still moving) so there will be more and more voices that want the city/goverment to do something against them when they misbehave.

 

[lucien]

The politicians won't do anything in this matter I think, and quite rightly so as the police/public office should decide what to do in this matter, not the piliticians.

I have little sympathy for these anarchists/squaters. though I have met several of them (and they were quite friendly) their organisation is used for ETA and even FARC. And the way some squaters are treating the police (sabotaging houses so the police will get injured) and such are criminal too. I am usually wondering why the city of Amsterdam doesn't do much against these criminals, I suppose the squaters movement has this romantic image from the 60-ties and many babyboomers that are now in power still think they are as harmless as in those days.

The poster will probably be defended with the 'freedom of expression' argument, though it puzzles me what they want to express. In over-all I think actions like these aren't very bright of the squaters. Dutch society has made a firm move to the right (still moving) so there will be more and more voices that want the city/goverment to do something against them when they misbehave.

The municipality of Amsterdam?They're too chicken,or downright cowardice,and not just on this subject.
Btw,squatters,it's the pet memory for quiet a few at the Stopera and it's "soviets".

What they try to express?Nothing besides creating havoc,damage and injury.

Freedom of expression,my foot.This abuse of that freedom,so cherished by all of us,so abused by many that
don't have any legal reason for staying here.at all.whatshowever.

And they're monitored by the AIVD?Big deal.Round them up ruthlously,immediatly.This nonsense has been going on far too long and it's all getting far too "normal",like it's part of life.Well,not my life,not in our country.

 

[Empress]

Well, I have to say, having lived in the Netherlands, and spent quite alot of time on the Spuistraat (I used to live on the Singel, 2 doors down from Yab Yum) that I never understood the Dutch mentality towards squatters. I don't think that they should have any rights what so ever. But that is my opinion.

 

[lucien]

Well, I have to say, having lived in the Netherlands, and spent quite alot of time on the Spuistraat (I used to live on the Singel, 2 doors down from Yab Yum) that I never understood the Dutch mentality towards squatters. I don't think that they should have any rights what so ever. But that is my opinion.

My thoughts exactly!

2 Doors do...oh,well,you were in a great & lively neighbourhood

Almost a memory too,as they,the soviets at the Stopera have decided to close down on
much of these "pleasure palaces",the entire district if possible.

They do not know what they are doing.Again.

 

[Marengo]

From Dutchnews.nl:

F*** the king demonstrator taken to court for insulting the monarchy

May 6, 2015
An anti-monarchy campaigner is being take to court for insulting the Dutch royal family at a rally in Amsterdam last year.

[...]

Al-Jaberi is being prosecuted for lèse-majesté, which means the crime of ‘violating majesty’ – an offence against the dignity of the monarch. The Netherlands is one of the few country’s in Europe to have such a crime, for which the maximum sentence is five years in jail.

Read more here: F*** the king demonstrator taken to court for insulting the monarch (updated) - DutchNews.nl

 

[Jacknch]

So his lawyer wants to call the King and Queen as witnesses to see if they felt offended?!

Al-Jaberi and his lawyer should both be frog-marched up to the Palace and made to apologise - Al-Jaberi for being rude and his lawyer for being stupid!

I am all for freedom of speech, but not if someone said that about me!

 

[Marengo]

They obviously want to get as much press as possible, in which they succeeded. I doubt the offender is very unhappy with the attention, quite the contrary.

I doubt that anything or anybody is served with this law. Certainly not the king or the monarchy. The mayor of Amsterdam said that the he thought the king found this law as rediculous and outdated as everybody else. The mayor did admit that the remarks were 'hoogst ordinair' (highly vulgar). But by this action these words get much more attention than they normally would. I am quite sure that many will twitter them as a protest of some sort.

 

[Marengo]

And unsurprisingly, some criminal thought it was his/her right of free speech to spray the same words on the recently restored palace of Amsterdam - a national monument.

It happened last night, the city is busy cleaning up the palace wall. Let's hope that they find the criminal and that he will be dragged to court. Not for lese majeste but for vandalising a momument. Hopefully they will make him pay the costs of the clean-up, though it is likely that it is one of these squater types who does not have a penny (mummy and daddy usually do though ).

http://www.at5.nl/artikelen/142898/paleis-op-de-dam-ondergekalkt-****-de-koning

If the person wanted to protest: hold up a sign. Don't vandalise ancient monuments in the middle of the night.

 

[lucien]

So his lawyer wants to call the King and Queen as witnesses to see if they felt offended?!

Al-Jaberi and his lawyer should both be frog-marched up to the Palace and made to apologise - Al-Jaberi for being rude and his lawyer for being stupid!

I am all for freedom of speech, but not if someone said that about me!

if someone,anyone,living here doesn't feel comfortable with a Monarchy,then let them please move,instead of provoking for provokings sake as this guy with the non dutch typical name!!In his country of origine he would be thrown in some jail and no-one would ever hear of him again...But here,in lala-land abuse of any freedom has become more rule then exception!I find that revolting,and it has to stop.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Anti-Monarchist graffiti at Amsterdam Royal Palace .

Belga

Belga Image - Editorial

 

[Marengo]

The public prosecutor's department has withdrawn the case ... for now. They say they need more time to look at the objections against the case.

http://www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/om-trekt-dagvaarding-voor-****-de-koning-in~a4006508/

Edit: in English:

More time needed to assess ‘f*** the king’ court case, say officials

May 7, 2015
Dutch prosecutors have withdrawn a court summons for a man accused of insulting the monarchy by shouting ‘**** the king’ because they needs more time to assess the case.

[...]

The public prosecution department is taking him to court because he has refused to pay a fine of €500 for the offence. The decision to prosecute him caused a storm of protest and raised questions about the right to free speech.

Read more here: http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archiv...o-assess-f-the-king-court-case-say-officials/

 

[Muhler]

I think that's a good idea.

It would only lead to more graffiti against the King.

Fine the idiot for vandalism, because that is what he is and nothing else. And let him clean off his own mess and other graffiti.
No need to give him his fifteen minutes.

 

[GracieGiraffe]

I think that's a good idea.

It would only lead to more graffiti against the King.

Fine the idiot for vandalism, because that is what he is and nothing else. And let him clean off his own mess and other graffiti.
No need to give him his fifteen minutes.

I think that's a fine idea. He's more than entitled to his opinion, but he's not entitled to vandalism.

 

[TLLK]

Agree with you both GracieGiraffe and Muhler. He always had the option to spray paint the same message on a banner and hang it on the building, but to deface it is wrong. Let him find out how tough it is to scrub off the writing.

 

[Marengo]

As expected: the whole issue is being milked to the fullest. People love these kind of discussions here.

Apparently people are now twittering with #f***dekoning. Apparently twitter blocked the hashtag from their trending topics.

http://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2015/05/06...is-****dekoning-de-gebeurtenissen-op-een-rij/
Several political parties (D66, SP) want the law to be abandoned. There are many parodies, clips, drawings and articles about the issue. Some focussing on the king being the angry one and writing 'f*** the people', or something simular. I have found nothing yet that speaks in favor of the law. It seems that Arjen Lubach, a comedian who is against the monarchy and started a petition to call himself 'Farao of The Netherlands' a few months ago, has trown himself up as a representative of this group.

I am quite sure that the public prosecutors office must have expected this. If they didn't I wonder if they had interns working on it. They now issued a statement saying that the hashtag with the abusive remark is also punishable.
'Majesteitsschennis uit strafrecht als activist wordt veroordeeld' | RTL Nieuws

In the mean time the lawyer of mr. Al-Jaberi, who made the statements during a manifestation, says that his client never wanted to insult anybody. The poor thing; his words must have been misunderstood...

Somehow it is assumed everywhere that the king is also against the law. They base this on a remark of WA in an interview before his inauguration, where he said that protests against the monarchy should be possible.

***

Since I really can't stand these people taking the moral high ground and claiming to do it for the greater good of freedom of speech, I would almost hope that they will put the whole lot of them on bread and water in jail for 5 years. Still, the law is rather odd in this day and age. It is doing more harm than good and needs to be withdrawn IMHO.

How irritating these people are. Anyway, the whole thing will probably blow over until the next professional protestor from the caviar left wants his/her 5 minutes of fame.

 

[Muhler]

So the protester got what he wanted: "Everybody is looking at meeee. And everybody are doing like meeee".

The worst possible punishment he could get, is a job at a building site or a factory. - He would then quickly learn that was he did is not universally admired and that he is considered nothing but a no-good fool!

Let me guess: He's a professional revolutionary who hasn't got the foggiest idea about the working class, especially because he has never been anywhere near a regular job in his life?
A man who finds the proletariat "romantic", while sitting at a cafe agreeing with his friends that it really is a pity that the working men and women are too stupid to understand what is best for them - but fortunately this is where he comes in...
Never understanding that Karl Marx would gleefully have kicked him and his friends off to a field or a quarry in some remote place.

 

[Marengo]

Just to make things clear: the protestor who is prosecuted is not the same person as the person who vandalised the palace.

The protestor, Mr Al-Jaberi, has shouted the statements while he was on a stage during a protest last autumn against 'Black Pete'. He had to pay a fine for his insults. He refused to do so the public prosecutor went to court (and went back).

The criminal who sprayed grafitti on the palace is still unknown, but it isn't mr. Al-Jaberi.