When chairman Taco Dankers of the supervisory board resigned on Wednesday after NRC had published about his anti-Semitic statements, Ongehoord Nederland (ON) left it at the reaction that the broadcaster “stands strongly for respecting all human rights”.
Shortly before that, Gert Jan Mulder had presented himself as a new member of the supervisory board. As a publicist, Mulder stood out with an ‘essay’ in 2015 in which he presented a 14-step plan to explore the Netherlands de-Islamize. For example, he suggested denying “men with dresses, hats and hats” the right to benefits and allowing employers to avoid hiring these people. He wanted to “actively promote remigration. One way.”
In daily life Mulder is an agricultural entrepreneur, economist and owner of a holiday park in Uruguay, where he spends large parts of the year. He was in 46th place in the Forum for Democracy in the last elections. In a now closed Twitter account, he called himself “Islamophobic” in his profile. Several Mulder accounts have been blocked. He mentioned himself in a column in 2019 victim of leftist activists, who would report to Twitter in a group. In that sense, he is the embodiment of what Ongehoord director Arnold Karskens says he wants to offer the system: while “internet censorship” is increasing, you can “say what you want” on the public broadcaster, he said in his online show.
Mulder does not let us know through an intermediary NRC want to talk. It remains unclear how Mulder thinks now. Tweets attributed to him from five years ago show that he is happy to never have to deal with Muslims: not in the neighborhood, not as a colleague. “It will remain so.”
Mulder’s twitter account, according to ON, also does not respond to questions. It is striking that he says “That’s right!” writes in a post that downplays the Taco Dankers issue as “organized excitement over non-existent anti-Semitism.” That while, according to National Coordinator Anti-Semitism Combat Eddo Verdoner, Dankers’ foundation Gefira spreads “pure hatred of Jews”.
Karskens says nothing
The Dankers page has turned, but the question remains how ON broadcaster really thinks about the accusations of anti-Semitism and racism against members of the supervisory board. Karskens takes NRC not on. It should be noted that ON’s Members’ Council appoints the supervisors. Outgoing minister Slob (Media, CU), who gave ON a provisional status last summer, insists that “anti-Semitism and racism have no place in the system”. ON is allowed to broadcast from 1 January. The leadership of the NPO is still “starting a conversation” with ON about the departed Dankers. A spokesperson does not want to say whether Mulder is also the subject of discussion.
The Gefira Foundation of the resigned supervisor Dankers responded on Wednesday to the publication in NRC. The article was called an “attack of frenzy” by journalists. The radical right-wing foundation states “never expressed a negative sentiment” towards a population group.
According to Anti-Semitism Coordinator Verdoner, “it is required to continue working on this foundation”. The CIDI, which stands up for Jews in the Netherlands and Israel, makes a report.
A version of this article also appeared in NRC Handelsblad on 6 November 2021
A version of this article also appeared in NRC in the morning of November 6, 2021
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