The Black Lives Matter Movement Resonate in The Netherlands

The Netherlands is a small, ethnically diverse European country with a lengthy colonial history. At least 25 percent of the nation’s 17.5 million citizens identify as having roots outside of Europe, including Indonesia, Suriname, and the islands of the Dutch Antilles. After the Second World War, North African and Turkish guest workers began moving to the Netherlands. Many large cities in the central-western part of the country have majority-minority populations — Rotterdam, Amsterdam, and the Hague all have minority populations that exceed 51 percent. As a result, the Black Lives Matter movement has received a fair amount of coverage both from the traditional press and on social media in the Netherlands.

The Black Lives Matter movement began attracting attention in the wake of George Floyd’s murder in the spring of 2020. “I think I first became aware of the BLM movement back in the spring of 2020, after the George Floyd situation. With the huge protests last summer,” one Rotterdam resident stated.

Many recognize the issues central to the Black Lives Matter movement to be complex and deeply-rooted in American history and culture. “I believe that the problem is rooted much deeper in society, and it is going to take a lot of willpower, from everyone, to set the wheel for change in motion and keep it going,” suggested one Leiden University student.

While mainstream media provided some coverage of the protests, social media played a crucial role in introducing the movement to the Netherlands. “If I hadn’t been on TikTok or Twitter at the time when the BLM movement initially started and seen the reactions of and interactions between people, I would have been a lot less informed about the gravity of the situation,” said one student from North Brabant.

The movement resonates among many minorities in the Netherlands due to the unacknowledged racism in Dutch society. “Racism in the Netherlands is often hidden. It’s different from what you see in the US. But it is definitely here,” said one Rotterdam resident.

The protests have largely been viewed positively in the Netherlands. “When I look at the movement, what I see is solidarity, a yearning for peace, for safety. Watching video after video gave me the feeling that there is hope for the future and that there are people who take this seriously and are actively trying to change the situation,” said one English Language and Culture student.

Black Lives Matter marches took place over the summer in several large cities, including Rotterdam, Amsterdam, and The Hague, with protestors expressing support for the Black Lives Matter movement in the US and condemnation of racism in the Netherlands. “I think the Black lives Matter protesters here in the Netherlands are expressing solidarity with African-Americans and saying that we’re tired of being treated as outsiders even though most of us have lived in the Netherlands for generations,” said a Dutch woman with African ancestry.

The Black Lives Matter movement has prompted people throughout the Netherlands to confront internal racial tensions. “What I thought was wonderful is that we could start discussing how this all happened. Now we can talk about Zwarte Piet and Admiral de Ruyter, and our colonial history,” said one long-term resident of Rotterdam.