Abulkasim al-Jaberi shouted obscenity about king during traditional parade in Netherlands, in protest at blacked-up characters he says are racist

A protester who shouted an obscenity about King Willem Alexander of the Netherlands could face up to five years in prison and a fine of more than €20,000 (£14,800) under a 19th-century law against insulting the monarch, Dutch prosecutors have said.

Abulkasim al-Jaberi, who describes himself as an anti-racism activist, was detained in December while demonstrating against a centuries-old Dutch Christmas parade at which black-faced helpers called “Zwarte Piet” (Black Pete) assist Santa Claus. Critics of the custom say the use of blackface is racist.

A prosecution spokesman, Franklin Wattimena, said on Thursday that Jaberi, a Dutch-Iraqi journalist, had been summoned to appear in court on 27 May after failing to pay a €500 fine.



He could be thrown behind bars under a law dating back to 1881 against insulting the king, Wattimena said. The law is enforced roughly about once a year.

“The law dates from the 19th century but still exists like many other old laws. We have to enforce it.”

The best known recent example of its use was against a man who threw a crumpled tinfoil candle holder at the horse-drawn carriage of Queen Beatrix five years ago. He was sentenced to five months in prison.