Symbolic image: Courtroom

The high-profile lawsuit against Bill Gates, Mark Rutte and Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla has failed – not on substance, but due to a fatal procedural error by the lawyers.

Status: August 2025 - Lawsuit dismissed, lead plaintiff imprisoned

What began as a groundbreaking lawsuit against COVID policy ended with a sobering defeat at the Leeuwarden District Court. On August 20, 2025, Judge Werkema dismissed the entire lawsuit by Arno van Kessel and Peter Stassen – not due to lack of evidence or weak arguments, but because of a fundamental procedural error.

The two Dutch lawyers had “turned the procedural rules upside down,” as the court found. They started main proceedings without first requesting the required preliminary witness examination – a mandatory step under Dutch law since January 1, 2025.

The Irony of Success#

Paradoxically, the lawsuit was about to make legal history. In October 2024, Bill Gates attempted to escape Dutch jurisdiction – and lost. The court ordered him to pay €1,406 in legal costs to the plaintiffs and face the proceedings.

“It was a David vs. Goliath moment: A Dutch court forced one of the world’s most powerful men to answer in court.”

But this success was nullified by the procedural error. The lawyers wanted to have experts like German pathologist Prof. Arne Burkhardt and Pfizer whistleblowers testify in court – a plan that is no longer feasible.

The Mysterious Case of Arno van Kessel#

The story becomes even more bizarre when considering the timing of van Kessel’s arrest:

June 11, 2025: Van Kessel files his 52-page rejoinder – the centerpiece of his evidence June 12, 2025: Early morning, a 15-member special team storms his home

The Arrest in Detail#

  • Blindfolded and handcuffed
  • Wife and daughter briefly held at gunpoint
  • Charges: “Anti-institutional activities” and membership in a “criminal network”
  • No concrete evidence after three months of detention

Van Kessel has been held at Vught maximum security prison ever since – the same facility once housing war criminals. His law license was revoked, ending his 30-year career.

“The timing is more than suspicious. One month before the crucial hearing, the lead attorney is neutralized.”

The documents van Kessel filed before his arrest contained explosive allegations:

The “Killer Batch” EM0477#

  • 33 deaths in the Netherlands within 11 days (Jan-Feb 2021)
  • 105 death reports in France
  • Dozens of deaths in Germany
  • Silent withdrawal of the batch in February 2021

The Danish “Toxic Batches” Study#

  • 4% of Pfizer batches caused 71% of all adverse events
  • 47% of deaths (579 out of 1,233) attributed to these few batches
  • Peer-reviewed published in the European Journal of Clinical Investigation

Internal Pfizer Documents#

  • By February 28, 2021: 1,223 deaths + 11,361 serious adverse events
  • Only made public through US court proceedings in October 2021

The Media Blackout#

Despite the spectacular defendants, the case experienced an unprecedented media blackout:

No coverage from:

  • Reuters, AP, BBC, CNN
  • German mainstream media
  • Dutch public broadcasting

Coverage only in:

  • Alternative media like “De Andere Krant”
  • US platforms (InfoWars, Gateway Pundit)
  • Specialized health portals (Children’s Health Defense)

“17 high-profile defendants, including a former Prime Minister and the world’s richest man – but mainstream media remains silent.”

Why the Case Really Failed#

1. Lawyers’ Procedural Error#

The new Dutch Civil Procedure Code since January 2025 mandatorily requires preliminary evidence gathering before main proceedings. Van Kessel and Stassen ignored this rule and started main proceedings directly.

The court ruled unambiguously:

“The lawyers have turned the procedure upside down. This is a fundamental procedural error.”

Even without the procedural error, the legal hurdles would have been high:

  • 5-year statute of limitations for product liability
  • High causation standard between vaccination and harm required
  • “Safe Harbor” clauses for emergency authorizations
  • International contractual immunities

3. Political and Media Pressure#

The coordinated media ignorance and van Kessel’s mysterious arrest suggest systematic pressure to prevent such proceedings.

Lessons from the Van Kessel Case#

What was successful:#

✅ Jurisdictional success against Bill Gates - historically significant ✅ Collection of extensive evidence - scientifically sound ✅ International attention in alternative media

What went wrong:#

❌ Fundamental procedural error - should have been avoidable ❌ Strategic planning - timing of filings problematic ❌ Political naivety - underestimated resistance

Outlook: What Happens Now?#

Peter Stassen has filed an appeal, but prospects are dim. The procedural error is so fundamental that even higher courts can hardly overlook it.

Arno van Kessel remains imprisoned, with over 500 demonstrators protesting outside the prison for his release. His family continues fighting for his freedom.

The evidentiary questions remain unanswered:

  • Why did some vaccine batches show drastically higher adverse event rates?
  • Did authorities know about these differences?
  • Was critical data deliberately concealed?

Conclusion: A Missed Opportunity#

The van Kessel case could have achieved historic significance. For the first time, the main actors of COVID policy stood before a European court. For the first time, experts were to testify under oath about vaccine safety.

But legal failure destroyed this opportunity. A procedural error that experienced lawyers should have avoided ended the most promising court case for COVID policy accountability.

The real questions remain unanswered. Those responsible remain untroubled. And a brave lawyer sits in prison – without charges, without trial, without hope of early release.

The message is clear: Anyone challenging COVID policy in court must expect anything.

Status: September 2025 | The case continues to develop. Updates will follow with new developments.

Sources: Leeuwarden District Court, “De Andere Krant”, Martin Vrijland, Children’s Health Defense, European Journal of Clinical Investigation