Prior to the arrival of Sinterklaas in Dokkum, the Netherlands, buses filled with anti-Black Pete protesters were halted on the A7. The buses belonged to action groups Kick Out Zwarte Piet and Nederland Wordt Beter. A few dozen proponents of Black Pete stopped their cars on the side of the highway and walked on the road to stop the buses. The buses were consequently escorted by the mobile law enforcement unit (ME) to Dokkum. The mayor of Dokkum prohibited the protest last-minute, because he could not guarantee the safety of both the protesters and the visitors of the Sinterklaas festivities.