From Fair Trials: The Dutch police continue to disregard the rule of law to criminalise the pacifist activist Frank van der Linde. In recent years, his personal data has been sent to Europol, he has been labelled a terrorist, and police have suggested he be referred to a psychiatric facility. Far from an isolated case, van der Linde’s story shows just how far police in Europe will go to criminalise the right to protest and stifle political dissent.

Van der Linde is a left-wing activist involved in actions against racism, discrimination, climate change, animal cruelty, homelessness, and other social injustices. In early February 2023, he was told by a whistle-blower in the Dutch police that he was described in his police file as a ‘multiple offender who could benefit from being referred to a psychiatric facility’. He has asked the police to rectify this baseless classification.

Read full article: “Call them crazy”: Criminalisation of activists undermines rule of law in the EU