Last Sunday, a group of fourteen friends, including a chronically ill woman in a wheelchair, was ejected from Efteling amusement park. The long-planned outing ended abruptly after security officers suspected the group might be planning a protest. The incident coincided with an anniversary celebration of the oil company TotalEnergies at the park, leading to heightened security measures.
Heightened Security Due to TotalEnergies Anniversary
On the day of the incident, September 29, 2024, the oil company TotalEnergies was celebrating an anniversary at Efteling, which led the park’s security team to be extra vigilant. In the weeks prior, Extinction Rebellion activists had protested against the company, making security personnel more sensitive to potential activist actions. The group of friends unintentionally attracted attention when security officers found stickers related to Milieudefensie, LGBTI, and Palestine in one of their bags, raising suspicion that they might be planning a protest.
Long-Planned Trip for a Chronically Ill Friend
The group had spent months planning the outing to bring some joy to their seriously ill friend, Vivianne. She suffers from untreated chronic headaches and extreme fatigue, which severely limit her daily life. To make the visit to Efteling as comfortable as possible, the group organized all necessary preparations, including a wheelchair, rest areas, and even a cottage nearby for an overnight stay. Vivianne depended on these arrangements, as she wouldn’t have been able to endure the day without assistance.
Activist Stickers Spark Suspicion
While waiting at the entrance for the rest of their party, a security officer approached the group and asked them to open their bags. The officer stated that he was looking for something specific that might be inside. Along with food and drinks, he found a water bottle adorned with stickers from Milieudefensie, LGBTI, and Palestine. “This is precisely what I was looking for,” the officer said upon discovering the stickers.
Sam, one of the friends and a climate activist, had been arrested during an Extinction Rebellion action the previous year. Nevertheless, the group insisted that they were simply there to enjoy the amusement park and had no intention of staging a protest. “We didn’t have banners or any protest materials with us; we just wanted to spend a fun day at Efteling,” Sam explained.
Abrupt Decision and the Group’s Aftermath
Despite the group’s explanations that they were only there for a peaceful visit, security staff decided to eject them from the park. Six security officers escorted the group to a separate area and informed them that their visit to Efteling was over. The group was shocked and confused. “Our day collapsed. We didn’t understand what we had done wrong,” Sam said.
The group was forced to leave the park through a side exit. Vivianne, who was already struggling with her health, collapsed outside the park due to stress. “She had muscle spasms in her chest and will need a long recovery,” Sam reported.
Compensation and Invitation to Return
Following the incident, Efteling apologized to the group and reimbursed their entrance fees and travel expenses. “We understand the group’s disappointment, but the security staff acted out of caution,” explained Efteling spokesperson Steven van Gils. “We didn’t know that one of the group members had health issues, but they are welcome to return and reschedule their day at the park.”
The group emphasized that they had no plans to protest on that day. “We didn’t even know that TotalEnergies was celebrating an anniversary at the park. We just wanted to have a nice day with our friend,” Sam concluded.
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