Dictionary of Dutchness
On 13 September 1997 Meindert Tjoelker was kicked to death in Leeuwarden by a group of young men whom he had tried to stop from vandalising a bike. The local police chief described Tjoelker, who was about to get married, as a victim of zinloos geweld (senseless violence). The phrase has now become standard to describe pointless acts of violence. The foundation against senseless violence uses
a ladybird as its symbol.
Thank you for donating to DutchNews.nl.
We could not provide the Dutch News service, and keep it free of charge, without the generous support of our readers. Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter, and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day.
Make a donation