More than 1,000 people marched through the centre of Rotterdam on Sunday to protest against femicide – the murder of women – marking the return of the feminist action group Dolle Minas after almost 50 years of silence.

The demonstrators gathered on the Schouwburgplein, where portraits of murdered women, a row of red heels and banners formed the backdrop to emotional speeches from activists, survivors and relatives.

The protest, dubbed the Femicide March, followed the killing of two women within two days last month — one in Gouda, the other in Vlijmen — both allegedly by their partners or ex-partners.

“This march goes beyond gender and politics, because violence against women is not a women’s issue, it’s a societal issue,” said Joice, a 43-year-old member of the newly revived Dolle Minas protest group, opening the demonstration. “We are here because it has been too quiet for too long.”

The protest route through the city followed a symbolic figure of eight, in reference to the frequency with which women are killed in the Netherlands: one every eight days. In nearly 60% of femicide cases, the suspected killer is a (former) partner.

Among the speakers was Wim Hertgers, whose daughter Sanne was murdered by her partner in 2023. “On 8 October, I learned the word femicide,” he told the silent crowd. “Sanne is forever 31.”

The Dolle Minas first emerged in the 1970s, campaigning for women’s rights and legal abortion and have now been revived or this campaign. Veteran activist Therese, 78, told broadcaster NOS she felt driven to return. “Everyone talks, but no one does anything. That makes me angry,” she said.

MP Songül Mutluer (GL-PvdA) also addressed the crowd, saying €10 million had been made available for tackling femicide, “but it’s not enough — and we are right to be angry.”

Many men also joined the march, including Roeland, 50, who brought his daughters. “Femicide is a men’s problem,” his placard read. “Men are the perpetrators in almost all cases. That has to be acknowledged.”

Claire’s Law

In June, a majority of MPs voted in favour of a motion to adopt legislation that will allow women to check if their partner has convictions for domestic violence.

The legislation is based on Clare’s Law, which was adopted in 2014 in Britain following the murder of 36-year-old Clare Wood in 2009 by her ex-partner. Wood was unaware of the man’s abusive past.

Worried relatives and friends would also be able to request access to the information. It will then be up to the police to grant access, taking into account privacy considerations.