Divisive character Black Pete sparks clashes in Netherlands

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Scattered confrontations broke out Saturday between supporters and opponents of the divisive helper of the Dutch version of Santa Claus, police and media reported, amid a fierce and increasingly polarized debate about the helper known as Black Pete.

White people often daub their faces with black paint when they dress up to play the character. Opponents say such depictions of Black Pete promote racist stereotypes. Supporters defend the sidekick of Sinterklaas, the whitebearded, red-robed Dutch version of St. Nicholas, as a traditional children’s character.

A nationally televised parade to welcome Sinterklaas in the historic village of Zaandijk, north of Amsterdam, went off peacefully.

A boat carrying Sinterklaas sailed into the harbor accompanied by dozens of Black Petes, their faces painted varying shades — from uniformly dark to smudged with dark streaks. Thousands of children, many wearing Black Pete costumes, lined streets to greet Sinterklaas, many sitting on the shoulders of a parent and grabbing handfuls of candy handed out by Black Petes.

But there were confrontations at some parades across the country.

Police in Rotterdam tweeted they made three arrests as supporters of Black Pete clashed with anti-Pete protesters. In the northern city of Leeuwarden, police said they “prevented two groups getting into a fight.”

Police in The Hague said riot police kept pro-Pete activists away from antiPete protesters as they were escorted to the city’s main railway station. In India: The death toll from a cyclone that hit southern India has risen to 33, with the storm leaving a trail of massive damage to homes and roads and driving tens of thousands of people into relief camps. Authorities rushed water, food and paramedics to nearly 82,000 people who took shelter in over 400 camps.