AMSTERDAM — All politicians in the Netherlands have been called upon to take part in the gay pride Roze Zaterdag celebrations in Enschede this year to protest against rising intolerance in the country.

Overijssel Province council members Symone de Bruin and Frank Weijnen made the call in a letter on Friday. Roze Zaterdag, or Pink Saturday, takes place in Enschede and other cities around the Netherlands on 26 June.

The two politicians say that there is a growing intolerance towards gay people among certain groups in society and among VMBO secondary school pupils.

This is increasing resulting in rude comment in the street and even physical violence, De Bruin claimed.

De Bruin hopes the presence of politicians and other leading figures at the gay pride procession will help to turn the tide.

“As politicians we are often not treated as representatives of the group in society we come from, but rather on the basis of facts and policy. Now let us show that gay people are everywhere, at all levels of society.”

De Bruin said that it is not always clear who is gay and who is not, so the letter has been sent to all public officials in high office including the lower house of parliament, de Tweede Kamer.

[Copyright Expatica News 2004]

Subject: Dutch News