André Rieu contests $140k child labour fine

André Rieu contests $140k child labour fine

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norman lebrecht

October 25, 2017

The Dutch violinist and waltz king has begun action to fight a court ruling that fined him 116,000 Euros for bringing children on stage after the legal limit of 11pm.

Rieu was originally issued with a fine of 236,000 Euros for bringing a group of Romanian pan flute players on stage until midnight during the course of seven concerts in the Netherlands in 2015.

Dutch law states that minors may not perform after 11:00 pm.

Rieu argued that the young players, aged 9 to 19, performed much earlier. He was merely bringing them back on stage with the virtuoso Gheorghe Zamfir to wave farewell to the audience.

Judgement will be issued in Limburg on December 4.

 

 

 

Comments

  • Ungeheuer says:

    As someone else wrote elsewhere, there’s also the matter of race-based hiring on the part of the populist. Not to mention the abuse on our sensibilities.

  • Ben says:

    The most amusing thing about this, if it’s accurate:

    It is much more than the fine associated with child porno in Netherlands, according to its laws. (did they calculate the fine based on # of childs on stage?)

    (note: apparently one could avoid jail sentence by paying a fine … only in Netherlands!!!)

    (from Wiki)

    — Netherlands —
    Article 240a indirectly prohibits giving pornographic pictures to children younger than 16 years. Maximum imprisonment is one year, or a fine of the fourth category (€19,500).

    Article 240b prohibits child pornography, which is defined as a picture showing a person younger than 18 performing sexual acts. Maximum imprisonment is 4 years or a fine of the fifth category (€78,000). It also prohibits making a profession or habit of it. The maximum imprisonment in that case is 6 years or a fine of the fifth category (€78,000).

    Article 248e prohibits online dating with minors (0–15 years old) in order to have sex or to make porn with him/her. The maximum imprisonment in that case is 2 years or a fine of the fourth category (€19,500).

    Article 254a prohibits bestiality porn. Maximum imprisonment 6 months or a fine of the third category (€7,800).

    • John Borstlap says:

      It has to do with the levels of priorities in the Netherlands, where levels in general, including the geographical one, are a bit different from other places in Europe. For instance, punishments for bank robbery are much stronger than for murder, showing one of the priorities of Dutch life. And one of the curious elements of the legal system is, that it is not evidence but compromise that counts. Like, if you are robbed, you are for 50% responsible. For Rieu, that means that having minors waving at audiences after 11 PM that can be considered for 50% as work and thus, exploitation. Another motivation for Rieu’s fine may be: if there are enough representatives of the law finding waving exploitation, it will be labelled as such.

  • Robert Holmén says:

    11PM means 11PM.

    The line has to be drawn somewhere and he was way past that line.

    Keeping them up late just to wave at an audience hardly seems a responsible use of their time.

  • herrera says:

    “Rieu argued that the young players … performed much earlier.”

    Which means that the cheap bastard didn’t even pay them for having to sit there all those hours until midnight to wave farewell to the audience, thus violating a second labor law!

    Rieu faces a dilemma: either he paid them for services until midnight, in which case they were working, or he didn’t pay them for all hours worked, in which case he owes them back pay.

    • George says:

      Oh please, performers always get a performance fee that covers a whole show including waiting time. From what I can see in the videos on youtube these kids had the time of their lives and great fun.
      The main question is: Why did the authorities not tell Rieu to not bring children on stage after 11 pm after the FIRST concert. Instead they let him go on for two weeks and seven concerts. When the concerts were over they slapped him with a 236.000 Euro fine, which has now been reduced to 116.000 fining him per child/concert. André Rieu is the first to spoil his musicians, he even invited all of the children to the Efteling Themepark Resort etc. and is willing to pay, but not for seven nights.
      http://www.bild.de/unterhaltung/leute/andre-rieu/sohn-erklaert-warum-das-keine-kinderarbeit-ist-53657216.bild.html

  • Allen says:

    1400 girls raped in Rotherham, not even a city, and people get excited about this?

  • Janet Lee Taylor says:

    I am from Australia, where many of our state jurisdictions are impeding personal and professional rights as well as liberties beyond belief. Victoria, the state comprised of the second largest population to New South Wales, has long been known as “the police state”. Very soon there will be a law against smiling in the street some say.

    Give Andre a break, and maybe start rewarding him for his remarkable contribution to world social and cultural harmony through his music !!! Lawyers wake up !!!!

    A grieved and disappointed lover cohesion, mutual harmony and music!!!

  • Janet Lee Taylor says:

    I am from Australia, where many of our state jurisdictions are impeding personal and professional rights as well as liberties beyond belief. Victoria, the state comprised of the second largest population to New South Wales, has long been known as “the police state”. Very soon there will be a law against smiling in the street some say.

    Give Andre a break, and maybe start rewarding him for his remarkable contribution to world social and cultural harmony through his music !!! Lawyers wake up !!!!

    A grieved and disappointed lover cohesion, mutual harmony and music!!!

    • John Borstlap says:

      There is a story (not confirmed by reliable sources) that when Rieu performed in Vienna, a cohort of lawyers attended the concert and were so irritated by the deviations from originals, that they informed Dutch authorities to keep an eye on him.

      • Robert Spits says:

        Why retell an unconfirmed story. That is pure gossip. We don’t need gossip mongers to add to an awkward situation. I personally admire Rieu for the many opportunities he has provided for young talent from all over the world. What has John Borstlap done for young people to give them an opportunity in life?

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