Occupy Haarlem

[Mich the Tester]

Appeared during the night and I passed them this morning on the way from lodgings to the station. Now picture the scene; Haarlem is a very wealthy medium sized town just outside Amsterdam. It's filled with small businesses, nice restaurants, boutiquey type shops, museums, fine art and beautiful architecture including some very rare (for NL) jugendstil buildings. Average income is well above national average, so not exactly a hotbed of revolutionary ideas, even though it does have a moderately left-liberal council (probably to keep the art subsidies going).

They were friendly enough, certainly more friendly than the yesterday's wierdo in the train, but I'd never seen crusties in Haarlem before. Sure, aging punks, grungy types and so on, but people who haven't had a shower in years? In Haarlem?

So I asked; why Haarlem? 'Yeah, we were ejected from outside the stock exchange in Amsterdam so we came here because it's still kind of, erm, liberal and easy going'. So, effectively, they're trying to start a revolution against people they like! WTF?

[Boris]

Yup, noticed them on my way back from the 'Jopenkerk' on Wednesday night. A very bedraggled & unwashed lot they are. As you say, no idea why they would choose Haarlem, it's hardly a hotbed of Dutch capitalism. (In fact, is there such a place anywhere in NL?)

[norrahe]

Yup, noticed them on my way back from the 'Jopenkerk' on Wednesday night. A very bedraggled & unwashed lot they are. As you say, no idea why they would choose Haarlem, it's hardly a hotbed of Dutch capitalism. (In fact, is there such a place anywhere in NL?)

I would have gone for the Hague.

Haven't seen much in the way of protests round there.

[Mich the Tester]

Yup, noticed them on my way back from the 'Jopenkerk' on Wednesday night. A very bedraggled & unwashed lot they are. As you say, no idea why they would choose Haarlem, it's hardly a hotbed of Dutch capitalism. (In fact, is there such a place anywhere in NL?)

I suppose the hotbed of Dutch capitalism would be found in Amsterdam Zuidas where all the bankers and cocaine dealers hang out.

Otherwise, the religious right have their bases in the provinces and the anti-muslim anti-everything perty in Limburg (which is a bit backward anyway).

But Haarlem; that's a hotbed of easy living.

[Boris]

But Haarlem; that's a hotbed of easy living.

With some great pubs too!

[norrahe]

With some great pubs too!

and nice restaurants

[Mich the Tester]

and nice restaurants

Several! (much to the chagrin of MyCo's Chief Financial Officer)

[doodab]

So we can conclude from this that despite their bedraggled demeanour they are basically civilised people. That's nice.

[Boris]

So we can conclude from this that despite their bedraggled demeanour they are basically civilised people. That's nice.

Not sure about that, they look like the typical unemployed leftie rent-a-mob to me. The same lot that were trashing Amsterdam a few months ago when they were being evicted from their squats.