Black Municipal Official Strikes Back 05/02/2007 00:00

5 February 2007

BRUSSELS — There will be no court case filed against the couples who refused to be married by the black municipal official Van Bellingen in Sint-Niklaas. Wouter Van Bellingen did not want to file a complaint against them.

Van Bellingen had received refusals from three couples. All had said the reason for their refusal was that they did not want to be married by a black official.

The Centre for Equal Chances and Against Racism (CGKR) wanted to go to court, appalled by the incident, but Van Bellingen, the main victim of racism in this case, refused to file, De Morgen writes.

Van Bellingen believes a court hearing would only escalate the issue.

He has a different plan of action instead.  Because many couples do support him and regret not having been married by him, Van Bellingen will organise a mass-wedding ceremony on 21 March, the International Day Against Racism, on the Grote Markt Square in Sint-Niklaas. Any married couple can join in this symbolic act.

Thanks to the publicity he has got in the media, Van Bellingen is also booked up until mid-2008, he said.

[Copyright Expatica News 2007]

Subject: Belgian news