Press release: When Mark Rutte shouts “fuck off”, it becomes the norm on the street, research shows

Today it brought Meldpunt Discriminatie Regio Amsterdam that in the past year, the number of complaints about discrimination based on skin colour or origin has increased. For example, a 16-year-old Antillean girl was told that “buses don't stop for animals” and a man of Moroccan origin was told at his job interview that “we don't employ foreigners, especially those with an Arab appearance”.

“It seems like the genie is out of the bottle,” the MDRA said.

According to GroenLinks youth, this is not surprising when our prime minister, one of our country's most important role models, makes statements like “just fuck off” on TV. Although much has already been said about these statements, hard research now shows that statements like our prime minister's have apparently become the new norm, indeed, even “normal”. Although it is difficult to speak of a direct causal link, Rutte has indeed set a precedent for increased discriminatory statements on the streets.

It is up to the prime minister to propagate not only the ideas of his party but also what is considered “normal” and “not normal” throughout the country. Mark Rutte has shown that for the sake of his party and the elections, he has no problem stretching those norms with all the consequences for all Dutch

Iris Mayer, president GroenLinks Youth Amsterdam