Hemiksem One of the misplaced racist statement on Facebook knows for councillor Bert Cools (N-VH) from Hemiksem serious consequences: he received today his letter of resignation. “I made a mistake”, realizes Cools. “I want everyone to apologize.”
Friday, december 14. During the pause in work at Atlas Copco gets Bert Cools a racist joke sent to you. Without the possible consequences to assess, share Cools the misplaced joke on his Facebook page. One hour later he will realize that he has gone wrong and he wants the joke is already remove, but at that time the harm had already been done. The item is picked up, shared and touched up to the top of Atlas Copco in Sweden. There, they could hardly laugh. Result: Cools received today his letter of resignation.
“All because of one stupid joke that one hour on Facebook has been,” said Cools, who in Hemiksem is the seat for the local right-wing party N-VH. “I got that message sent, found it funny and I immediately without thinking on “share” is clicked. Of course, that was a huge mistake, I realize that all too well. An hour after the post I everything will be removed again. But then there were already made screenshots and started the ball rolling. I would like to sincerely apologize to everyone I’ve hurt. I’m really not a racist.”
“The vast majority of my colleagues at Atlas Copco is extraneous,” says Cools. “I can be fine with them handle and they with me. I like to work together with everyone who likes to work, regardless of its origin. My immediate colleagues know that I am not bad intended. I am sometimes a little crazy, but I’m not racist. But a number of colleagues from another department – people who don’t know me – has the post used to make me in a poor light. Now I am the one haatbericht after the other on Facebook. I can only say that I as a joke had referred to among colleagues. It was not meant to hurt people’s feelings.”
Bert Cools joined only last month to the city council, as the successor of the Thailand moved Anthony Abbeloos (N-VH). Last elections he came on for Vlaams belang, the party which he for years was a member. From the twelfth place achieved Cools 151 votes, and he became as the second elected. The plan was that he from 2019 would sit for Vlaams belang, but whether that still continues, is at this time not clear.
