GETTY The Dutch prime minister made the comments after journalists were attacked in Rotterdam

FREE now and never miss the top politics stories again. SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up fornow and never miss the top politics stories again. We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights.

Shocking footage was released earlier this month which showed a group of men attacking journalists and their cars in a demonstration against the failed July 15 military coup. Speaking during a live three-hour interview, Mark Rutte spoke directly to the attackers to tell them to “go away”. Using the expression for “f*** off” in the local dialect, he said: “My first reaction would be: Go away. Go back to Turkey. “Pleur op I would say in Haags.”

GETTY Mr Rutte dismissed his critics - saying he is not the PM 24 hours a day

He added that the majority of Turkish-Dutch were well integrated in the community, but there is a minority of “Turks in the Netherlands” did not try to fit in with Dutch norms or laws. But critics have blasted the Dutch leader for his comments, saying the language was un-prime ministerial. Diederik Samsom, the leader of the junior coalition partner Labour Party, said Rutte’s language was “extremely poor.”

GETTY The Rotterdam attack came after the July 15 military coup against the Turkish government

GETTY The Turkish foreign ministry labeled the remark “inappropriate”

My first reaction would be: Go away. Go back to Turkey. Mark Rutte

Earlier this month the Turkish foreign ministry labeled the remark “inappropriate”, claiming the statements of the prime minister could harm integration "at a time of increasing dislike of foreigners in Europe." Although Rutte was made aware of the opposition to his comments, he chose the stand by them. The leader of the Poeple’s Party for Freedom and Democracy said he was certain others would have said the same, but realised it did not reflect the cabinet’s position. He added: “This is an opinion. I am not prime minister 24 hours a day.”

A look back on the shocking Turkish military coup that left 294 dead Wed, July 27, 2016 The violent military coup to overthrow Turkey's President Erdogan has 'failed' leaving at least 104 dead and more than 1,500 wounded Play slideshow Getty Images 1 of 42 A police officer talks with the soldiers involved in the coup attempt after they surrendered

This is not the first time a Dutch politician has caused a row with bad language, however. In January last year, Rotterdam’s Moroccan born mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb told his fellow Muslim immigrants they too could “f*** off” if they could not appreciate freedom of speech. His comments were made on the day that Islamist terrorists attacked the French satirical magazine Charlei Hebdo because it published cartoons mocking Islam.

GETTY Rotterdam mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb made similar comments following the Charlie Hebdo attack