Prime minister Mark Rutte has described the people who attacked anti-blackface demonstrators during the Sinterklaas processions this weekend as ‘hooligans who were happy to cause trouble’ during question time in parliament on Tuesday.

Rutte has been widely criticized for failing to condemn the racist attacks and was questioned by MPs about his response.

The mob which attacked a handful of protestors in Eindhoven, by throwing eggs and hurling racists abuse at them, were ‘coked out idiots who were drunk’ Rutte told MPs, before going on to restate his distaste for ‘extremists on both sides’.

Nevertheless, most of the trouble at the weekend was caused by hooligans, he said. ‘They used the most disgusting racist texts and even gave a nazi salute,’ the prime minister said.

Rutte said he believed they should be charged with racism but that this is a matter for the public prosecution department.

The minister also stated there are no plans to ban demonstrators during the three week Sinterklaas festivities, but said again that he ‘wondered why’ they had to take place during the children’s festival.

The VVD leader in parliament Klaas Dijkhoff had called in an impassioned Facebook post for a ban on demonstrations during the Sinterklaas processions.