The 54-year-old Jan H. from Emmen was released again on Friday. He was arrested earlier in the day for his role in ‘citizen border controls’ at the border between Ter Apel and the German Rütenbrock.
Several regional media write that H. has been released. It is unclear whether he is still a suspect in the case. The North Netherlands police could not comment on questions from NU.nl.
“I was stunned. I didn’t do anything punishable,” H. tells RTV Drenthe. “I don’t understand it very well. It’s very strange.” The man says he will not stop the border controls.
H. is the initiator of the citizen controls and the founder of a large app group in which these actions were called for. In recent weeks, several citizens went to the German border near Ter Apel to carry out ‘border controls’ themselves. They checked cars in the process. The group of citizens is said to be angry about the inadequate Dutch border controls in their eyes.
The police stated that the Public Prosecution Service, the mayor and the police have been “completely clear” about the independent checks. “Border controls are an exclusive task of the Royal Marechaussee. Citizens may not assume this role,” the police wrote earlier in the day.
The man was arrested for so-called official coercion, because he tried to persuade the government to carry out border controls with the checks. According to the authorities, this is vigilante justice, which is prohibited. The man had already been warned.