Censorship! Persmuseum IISG

1945-2000: Mass Media and Censorship II
Pamphlet (Provokatie nr.13), 1966
Pamphlet (Provokatie nr.13), 1966
1966
Provokatie (Provocation) was a pamphlet series issued by Provo. Pamphlet no. 13 called for participation in a demonstration that had been banned by the mayor of Amsterdam, Van Hall. This led to Hans Tuynman, a Provo and the initiator of the demonstration, being arrested for distribution of a seditious text. He was then sentenced to a non-suspended prison term of three months, minus 25 days for custody on remand.
Tuynman was in Amsterdam Prison from 30 March to 21 June 1966. While he sat in his cell writing his book about the Provo movement, supporters outside the prison chanted "Free Hans Tuynman!". The book, entitled Full-time Provo, was published shortly after his release by the Bezige Bij publishing house. In 1967 a German translation also appeared: Ich bin ein Provo: das permanente Happening.
The verdict generated much outrage outside the Provo movement as well. One major reason was that, around the same time, several students from the right-wing student association 'Tres Faciunt Collegium' (Tres) had been given only light suspended sentences, even though they had not been guilty of distributing a call to attend a banned demonstration against police violence, but instead stood accused of what was obviously a much less serious offence: in the course of an appalling initiation ritual, known as the 'roetkapaffaire' (soot cap affair), they had killed a fellow student.
Read more on the roetkapaffaire
Call number: IISH
Archive Provo
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