Outrage after viral video shows Dutch national violently abusing police officers in Diani

The man, who has since been identified as Elwin Ter Horst, was arrested on Tuesday, October 28, for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend at a local hotel. 

However, it was his conduct inside the police station that drew national attention after footage surfaced online showing him hurling insults at officers, acting belligerently and engaging in humiliating acts. 

In the video, Ter Horst can be seen insulting police officers, blowing his nose toward one of them, and fearlessly wiping mucus from his hand onto the male officer’s trousers. 

The officer, who remains composed the entire time, appeared to respond minimally despite the obvious provocation.

"Shut the f**k up! I don't want to see your ugly face anymore! Out of my office! Now! Leave! Leave!" the suspect roars at the unnamed officer. 

His colleague, a female officer, also appears to follow the unfolding drama calmly, at no point attempting to stop or restrain him. 

At some point, the dutchman turns to the person recording the drama, fiercely slamming them and repeatedly asking them, "Who the f**k are you!?"

Many Kenyans on social media condemned the incident, demanding firm action from authorities and imagining the scenario if the offender was a regular Kenyan. 

Activist and 2027 presidential aspirant Boniface Mwangi was among the most vocal critics, condemning the act as well as calling for accountability and equality before the law.

"Kenyan police have a reputation for being problematic, corrupt, and violent, but this level of disrespect toward a police officer is unacceptable. The foreigner captured in this video deserves to be prosecuted, jailed, and then deported," he said.

Mwangi went on to highlight what he described as a dangerous double standard in police behavior.

"I can guarantee that if it had been a Kenyan who dared to do this to an officer, he would have been beaten to death. Kenyan police fear whiteness and anyone who looks rich," he added.

Mwangi also linked the incident to his broader reform agenda, pointing out the need for police welfare and institutional reform.

"As President, I shall send all current police officers for retraining and retire those who cannot be retrained. In my government, we shall pay police better, upgrade police stations to ensure better working conditions, and have officers live in the community. The police will be allowed to have a union to fight for their rights," he further said.

Human rights advocate and VOCAL Africa CEO Hussein Khalid also weighed in, expressing disbelief at the officers’ passive reaction during the incident. 

"What the hell? The National Police Service (NPS) are so ready to shoot and kill innocent Kenyans protesting for a better Kenya yet they accept to be ill treated like this by a white guy right inside a police station? Shame!" he noted.

On his part, Mwangi Njoroge wrote, "Look at them - resigned and helpless. Why? Because he's a mzungu. If this were an ordinary kenyan, they'd have beaten them senseless. Anyway, I never knew Kenyan police could exercise this much restraint."

Others brought up colonial undertones by noting how easily the Dutch suspect brought the police into subjugation, attaching the scenario to post-colonial trauma.

Someone said: "For a country that has been through the treacherous dehumanization that came with colonialism, for this FOREIGNER to do this in today’s Kenya is absolutely shocking. May he be deported and banned in all  African countries. This entitlement foreigners hold must come to an end in Kenya."

Despite the widespread outcry, the National Police Service (NPS) has not issued an official statement yet regarding the mortifying incident.

The suspect's booking status, too, remains unclear.