The controversial neurologist Jan Bonte was arrested yesterday at his home on suspicion of doxing. The 50-year-old corona skeptic from Dalfsen (Overijssel) is said to have announced the identity of one or more undercover agents on social media. His account on Twitter, followed by nearly 25,000 people, has been taken offline by police order.
Bonte is said to have opened a manhunt on social media for police officers who were deployed in the farmers’ protests that had gotten out of hand. In one of his tweets, the activist neurologist mentioned an agent by full name. ‘Nice to have you back tomorrow (…). Don’t forget your brass knuckles and your balaclava?” Bonte wrote on his Twitter account, which has since been deleted. ‘Maybe you’ll get a biscuit: with some nitrogen. And a dash of ammonia in your coffee.’
The police do not want to confirm Bonte’s name, but do say that a 50-year-old man from Dalfsen has been arrested as a suspect of threatening on social media. “A quick digital investigation made it possible to find out who was behind the account on which the messages were shared. And a short time later the arrest was made in Dalfsen,” a police spokesperson said. “The police take intimidation and threats towards their people very much and will always act where possible.”
Intimidation as a target
Doxing is the collection or dissemination of sensitive personal data online for the purpose of intimidation. It increasingly affects politicians, journalists and opinion makers. Police officers are also involved. Former Minister Grapperhaus (Justice and Security) submitted a bill to make doxing a criminal offence. Offenders can then be jailed for up to one year. Victim Support Netherlands believes that suspects should also be able to be taken into pre-trial detention.
The police note that violence, for example during demonstrations against the corona policy and during farmer protests, is not only aimed at the police as a government organization, but increasingly at individual police officers. Agents are also more often victims of the leakage of personal data. “Criticizing the police is allowed and sharing images is part of this time. But the way police officers are talked about is sometimes very intimidating. The impact on colleagues and their family members is enormous,” said a spokesperson.
According to the police, it is nonsense that the undercover agents are instigators of riots, a reproach that was made during corona demonstrations that had gotten out of hand earlier. According to the police, the so-called romeos get the agitators out. “It is absolutely nonsense that the police themselves use force. We have no interest whatsoever in that,” said Chief Constable Henk van Essen.
Discharged from hospital
Jan Bonte gained fame during the corona crisis by speaking out against the corona measures and by questioning the usefulness of vaccines and face masks. In December 2020, he was discharged from the Ikazia Hospital in Rotterdam because of his expressions on social media. “At least now I no longer have to take into account the sensitivities of management and other medical specialists,” he said about his dismissal. Earlier Bonte was in the news because of his contrary thoughts. For example, he did not want to wear a doctor’s coat because he considers it a status symbol. “It would reduce hospital infections, but there is no evidence for that.”
Until recently, Bonte worked as a medical specialist at law firm Maes Law, which terminated the collaboration a few months ago. Owner Bart Maes says he still has a good relationship with Bonte. “I would love to help him. He can always call on me as his lawyer.”
Critical reactions
In the corner of the corona skeptics, there is a shock to Bonte’s arrest. ‘By arresting Jan Bonte, this polarization cabinet is crossing an important boundary. A huge low for our democratic constitutional state,” writes Privacy First founder Bas Filippini. ‘To be honest, I am completely shocked by the news that Jan Bonte has been picked up by the police. What a country this has become,” says legal philosopher Raisa Blommestijn.
A group of activists started a manhunt in February for doctors who, in their view, do not comply with the rules and corona guidelines of their profession. They submitted about fifty complaints to the Health Care Inspectorate, some of which were directed against Bonte.
Bonte was still under lock and key on Tuesday afternoon, the police said.
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Tags: Controversial neurologist Jan Bonte arrested leaking identity undercover agents Inland
