Men fined over racist children’s song

16 December 2005

BRUSSELS — Antwerp Court has convicted three men for spreading the racist version of a children’s song, fining them each EUR 750.

The song, ‘De Kabouterdans’ (The Gnome Song) is sung by the characters of a popular Belgian children’s show, ‘Kabouter Plop’.

Besides its popularity with children, the song also became a bit of a hit on radio and at parties. However, the lyrics of the racist version urged people to beat up North African immigrants.

The Antwerp Court judge therefore ruled that the men were consciously guilty of racism. The author of the song was never found, but two of the defendants had spread the song via the internet.

One defendant played the song at a party for employees of the Flemish employment agency and was previously convicted in Mechelen.

The anti-racism bureau CGKR was still receiving complaints five years after the song first appeared and eventually lodged a report with police.

Studio 100 and the co-authors of the real song, Gert Verhulst and Danny Verbiest, lodged a civil complaint as well.

[Copyright Expatica News 2005]

Subject: Belgian news