(The Hague) The Dutch Prosecutor's Office refuses to charge prosecution for a porn film shot in a Catholic church.
Yesterday, on the occasion of the Feast of the Assumption, the Dutch Prosecutor's Office archived the complaint against the producer and the performers of a porn film, for shooting in the church dedicated to St. Joseph in Tilburg, better known as Heuvelse Kerk. Tilburg is located in the Dutch province of Nordbrabant.
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| The barrier, which had to be climbed over for the filming. |
Because of the devastation of the church, the city council had received a report from the priestly council. The public prosecutor's opinion, however, is that "no criminal offense" was committed. The behavior was indeed "disrespectful", but one could not recognize a criminal offense when the penal code was read. "Blasphemy is not punishable" in the Netherlands, which is why there is no law violation, the prosecutor's office said in their statement yesterday.
Two actors were filmed in a side passage of the church and in a confessional committing a sex act.
Professor Harrie de Swart, responsible for the administration of the church, expressed his surprise at the decision of the prosecutor. He recalled that the actors had to overcome a barrier to get to the "filming locations".
The prosecutor informed that the church could seek a civil procedure. Whether it will come to such a thing is not certain. De Swart yesterday advised the diocese, for "there has been enough excitement in this cause which has led to nothing."
The 81-year-old Jan van Noorwegen, who is a priest at the church, carried out a rite reparation, when the church desecration became known at the beginning of the year. The Heuvelse Kerk was built in neo-gothic style in the 1870s.
The film was shot for Meiden van Holland, the video channel owned by the Dutch porn actress Kim Holland.
Text: Giuseppe Nardi