Baudet could be prosecuted for breaching lockdown
rules in Urk
Corona Politics
February 26, 2021
Thierry
Baudet (in cap) on a campaign visit to Lelystad this week. Photo: ANP/Davide
Heijmans
Prosecutors
are considering bringing charges against Forum voor Democratie leader Thierry
Baudet for breaching coronavirus restrictions on a campaign visit. Baudet, 38,
was photographed embracing supporters and shaking hands during a rally in the
Flevoland village and former island of Urk on Tuesday. His campaign team later
ate dinner together in a seafood restaurant. The prosecution service (OM) said
the investigation focused solely on that visit and not other events in Haarlem,
Hardewijk and Deventer. ‘We will set out all the facts and the decision on
whether to proceed with a prosecution depends on what comes out of that,’ OM
spokeswoman Mary Hallebeek told local newspaper De Stentor. ‘A prosecution
depends among other things on the question of whether Baudet was encroached on
by others and couldn’t do much about it, or deliberately breached the rules.’
In contrast to other parties who have recognised the need to keep infections
and deaths down, Baudet has campaigned vociferously for the abolition of the
lockdown and allied himself with self-styled coronavirus sceptics such as dance
teacher Willem Engel, founder of anti-lockdown group Viruswaarheid (formerly
known as Viruswaanzin). The mayor of Urk, Cees den Bosch, was critical of the
rally. ‘A member of parliament in particular should comply with the rules,’ he
said. Prime minister Mark Rutte said Baudet’s behaviour was ‘extremely
ill-judged’. ‘We know it’s a risk because that’s one of the ways you can
transmit the virus. You just shouldn’t do it.’ Baudet said the visit to Urk was
one of his ‘personal favourites’ of the campaign. ‘People here are sensible,
work hard and just like us they’re against the coronavirus rules.’ The latest
Peilingwijzer poll of polls indicates FVD are on course to win between one and
five seats in parliament in the election on March 17.
Read more
at DutchNews.nl:
Sem comentários:
Enviar um comentário