Amsterdam’s National Monument, a cenotaph commemorating those who died in World War II, was painted red on Monday, May 4, by activists protesting what they described as the “ongoing genocide” in Gaza.
Video by Annet de Graaf of Whispering Media shows crews working to remove the paint, which read “genocide,” and “never again is now.”
In a statement obtained by Whispering Media, the unnamed activists said the goal of the act was to “confront the 4th of May Remembrance Day hypocrisy, where the Second World War is remembered but the silence about the ongoing genocide on the Palestinians is deafening. Later today the king and prime minister will lay down flowers at the monument, whilst the blood of the Palestinians, Lebanese and Iranians are on their hands.”
Netherlands Prime Minister Rob Jetten called the act “idiotic” and “utterly unacceptable … Especially today, on May 4th.”
May 4 marks National Remembrance Day in the Netherlands. A ceremony memorializing victims of WWII and subsequent wars, attended by the king and queen, took place at the monument later that day. The monument was cleaned in time for the event.
According to reports the monument was defaced around 4:30 am local time on Monday and police were still searching for three suspects as of Tuesday afternoon. Credit: Annet de Graaf via Storyful