Piet activists charges against AH, Blokker and Hema – De Gelderlander

Opponents of Zwarte Piet do tomorrow in Amsterdam declaration to include Albert Heijn, Blokker and Hema. Those companies are guilty of discrimination guilty according to them, because they use the servant Nicholas still in their stores, catalog or shop windows. Opponents see Pete as “insulting caricature of the black man.”

The activists, united in the group Stichting Netherlands Is Better, Zwarte Piet not and Stop Blackface do In addition declaration against Gouda and other municipalities that use in 2014 Zwarte Piet, against NTR (creator of the Sinterklaas News), against companies such as Bijenkorf, V & D, and at the St. Peter and Gilde forward of conservation

They hope that the declaration Keti Koti, the celebration of the abolition of slavery next Wednesday, getting massive following. There they share preprinted declaration forms on Amsterdam’s Museumplein out to allies, which can be delivered to a mobile police station. Spokesman Jerry Afriyie (Netherlands Is Better): ,, Our call on Facebook has already received quite some attention, so we assume a lot of support ”

New attack The declaration action is part of a previously announced major new offensive against Zwarte Piet. The activists also consider a procedure in a civil court, and also will demonstrate in Meppel where this year’s National Entry is held.

Last year, opponents have already filed against Piet with the arrival in Amsterdam. That declaration was dismissed in April by the OM; there was no question of “incitement to discrimination”. Because the new declaration is wider, lawyer William Jebbink assumes that makes more opportunity. OM could not sue again, steps into the opponents court.

Wrestle
Many companies were last year already struggling violently with the heated debate about the “racist nature” of the annual festival. As Albert Heijn Zwarte Piet pulled out all advertising and campaigns. In the shops were still (choco) figures for sale, “because there was a need among customers. HEMA also appeared in an internal mail the servant to do the spell but ultimately did not go so far.