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You are here: Home News Dutch News Eurovision singer threatens gay rights boycott

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10/05/2009Eurovision singer threatens gay rights boycott

Pop singer Gordon says he will refuse to take the stage at the Eurovision Song Contest final in Moscow if Russian police violently suppress a gay parade in the city.

MOSCOW - Pop singer Gordon says he will refuse to take the stage at the Eurovision Song Contest final in Moscow if Russian police violently suppress a gay parade in the city.

The singer made the remarks in an interview with Dutch public broadcaster NOS. The organisation GayRussia announced plans for a gay rights parade to coincide with Saturday's Eurovision final, but it has been banned by the authorities.

A spokesman for Moscow's mayor said "Moscow has never had gay parades and it never will." Russian police often use strong-arm tactics to clamp down on gay rights protests.

Dutch Eurovision singer Gordon, who is himself homosexual, said "If violence is used during the demonstration, I'll fly straight back to the Netherlands."

Gordon is a member of the Toppers, the star singers who will perform this year's Dutch Eurovision entry. The other two members of the specially assembled threesome of famous Dutch solo artists and TV personalities are Jeroen van der Boom and René Froger. They say they will decide how to respond to events on the day of the final itself.

However, it seems that any decision to stage a boycott is likely to be purely academic. Internet betting sites give the Toppers little chance of actually making it into the final.

Radio Netherlands / Expatica


1 reaction to this article

Dutch Liberal thinker (non gay) posted: 2009-05-11 15:58:25

I am not sure as a Dutch person that I support his (obviously) personal decision as he ought to represent the Dutch population as a whole, but I do applaud the courage of Mr. Gorden to rise above the political correctness of this annual event to put an issue on the table that affects the well-being/health/safety of a group of people, so in that sense: well done Gordon! Be brave!

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1 reaction to this article

Dutch Liberal thinker (non gay) posted: 2009-05-11 15:58:25

I am not sure as a Dutch person that I support his (obviously) personal decision as he ought to represent the Dutch population as a whole, but I do applaud the courage of Mr. Gorden to rise above the political correctness of this annual event to put an issue on the table that affects the well-being/health/safety of a group of people, so in that sense: well done Gordon! Be brave!

Add a comment
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