The Netherlands: Racist statements in a TV programme
| Case reported by | Stichting Tumba ( Discrimination & diversion organisation of Fryslân) |
| Country | Fryslân, the Netherlands |
| Year | 2024 |
| Affected group/minority | People of colour and migrants to the Nethelands |
| Perpetrator | Johan Derksen |
| Type of case | Hate speech |
| Type of hate speech | Verbal |
| Media: | Traditional media (printed, radio, TV) |
| Reactions: | Both the public and the public authorities in the Netherlands reacted. |
Brief description:
On 9 April 2024, in his TV talk show Today Inside, the Dutch journalist Johan Derksen verbally attacked the Member of Parliament Habtamu de Hoop and his right to identity and language – Frysian – as the politician, who was raised in a Frysian family, Ethiopian origin. During the TV show, Derksen commented that De Hoop is not a Frisian, as Dreksen himself is not a Surinamese, implying that skin colour determines belonging to a community.
The audience reacted negatively to Dreksen's words, and more than 1000 complaints have been received at the discrimination hotline Discriminatie.nl. The Government, other MPs and politicians declared their support to de Hoop and denounced the racist statement.
More information on the case can be obtained through the following links:
https://nltimes.nl/2024/04/10/football-pundit-johan-derksen-causes-outrage-racist-remarks
