New rainbow flags stolen in Oldebroek
Several rainbow flags disappeared in Oldebroek on Saturday after a joint flag-raising campaign; police are asking those affected to report the thefts.
Follow-up to: Oldebroek residents raise rainbow flags after council decision Saturday, 10 October 2026, 14:47
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Rainbow flags were removed again in Oldebroek on Saturday after residents and a church had put them up. Police are urging residents to report the thefts and stressing that this is theft.
The thefts came to light after a joint flag-raising campaign in the Gelderland municipality. Residents and the Kruiskerk in Wezep put up rainbow flags on Saturday. According to the organiser, at least six reports of missing flags were subsequently received.
The figures are provisionally based on reports from residents and the campaign organiser. According to reports, no formal complaints had yet been registered with the police at the time of publication. Police are asking those affected to come forward and pass on any CCTV footage or other information.
The flag-raising campaign is a response to a change of course by the municipal executive. The executive previously decided that the municipality itself would no longer fly the rainbow flag and withdrew its existing LGBTQ+ policy. Residents then began hanging the flag at their own homes or at local institutions.
The debate took on a public character on Saturday. According to EenVandaag, about two hundred people were present when a flag was raised at the church in Wezep. Mayor Tanja Haseloop was also there. The campaigners say they want the flag to recognise lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer residents and increase their visibility.
The thefts add a security and legal question to the local political conflict. The municipal executive may decide which symbols are used at the town hall, but privately owned flags belong to residents or institutions. Removing them is a criminal offence, regardless of the political or religious views of the person doing so.
Police have not identified a suspect and no motive has been established. It is therefore not known whether all the thefts were committed by the same person or group, nor whether they are directly connected to the municipal debate. Police are asking people not to investigate themselves, but to pass on information.
The events are taking place around Coming Out Day, held annually on 11 October. For the municipality, it has become a visible conflict over whether a local authority should actively speak out on LGBTQ+ rights. For the police, the matter is simpler: flags may be the subject of debate, but they must not be stolen.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The municipal executive has decided that the rainbow flag will no longer be flown at the town hall.
- Residents and a church put up rainbow flags themselves.
- Several flags were reported stolen after the campaign, and police called for reports to be filed.
Left
Arguments A left-wing approach sees the flag as a public signal of equality and believes municipalities should visibly support LGBTQ+ residents. The removal of privately owned flags is seen as undermining that visibility and the space for peaceful protest.
Values Equality, inclusion, protection of minorities and public recognition.
Consequences Active municipal support can make residents feel that they belong, but may also provoke resistance among residents who prefer government symbolism to remain neutral.
Centre
Arguments The centre distinguishes between municipal neutrality and individual freedom. A municipality may determine its own flag policy, while residents may put up their own flags; police should act only against theft and intimidation.
Values Freedom of expression, equal legal protection, administrative restraint and public order.
Consequences That separation can depoliticise the conflict, but leaves the underlying debate about recognition and exclusion largely intact.
Right
Arguments A right-wing approach stresses that a municipal executive is not obliged to symbolically support a political or social movement. At the same time, property should be respected and police must act against theft, regardless of the flag’s message.
Values Local autonomy, freedom of conscience, government neutrality and the rule of law.
Consequences Greater administrative restraint may reduce polarisation around government symbols, but LGBTQ+ residents may experience it as a withdrawal of protection and recognition.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The current reports, the police appeal and the background to the municipality’s flag policy were checked against public sources. The article attributes the provisional figure to the organiser and makes no unsubstantiated connection between the thefts and the political conflict.
- confirmed Several rainbow flags disappeared in Oldebroek on Saturday after a joint flag-raising campaign. — Reported by upday and EenVandaag. source
- confirmed Police called on those affected to file reports. — This is stated in upday’s current reporting. source
- confirmed The municipality no longer flies the rainbow flag at the town hall and withdrew its LGBTQ+ policy. — The background is described by EenVandaag. source
- confirmed About two hundred people were present when the flag was raised at the church. — EenVandaag gives this figure in its report of 10 October. source
- uncertain The thefts were committed by the same person or group. — There is no confirmation of this; the text explicitly says otherwise. source
Editor's note
The flag-raising campaign, the new reports and the police call to report the thefts are certain. The number of flags stolen and the connection with the political conflict have not yet been established; no suspect or motive is known.Sources
- Zeker zes regenboogvlaggen gestolen in Oldebroek na protest tegen gemeentebeleid — upday News
- Geen regenboogvlag bij gemeentehuis Oldebroek, maar wel bij de kerk — EenVandaag
- Laat zien hoe jouw vlag hangt — Oldebroek Vooruit
The story so far
- Saturday, 10 October 2026, 14:47 Oldebroek residents raise rainbow flags after council decision
- Sunday, 11 October 2026, 13:48 New rainbow flags stolen in Oldebroek (this article)
More on this in Dutch media
- Het Parool — „oldebroek regenboogvlag”
- Trouw — „oldebroek regenboogvlag”
- NRC — „oldebroek regenboogvlag”