Dutch men walk hand-in-hand to protest against attack on gay couple
Dutch men -- straight or not -- held hands during a protest march to condemn an attack on a gay couple, in Amsterdam.
The Dutch have a unique way of most things, even protesting.
Thousands of protesters in Dutch capital Amsterdam showed solidarity for two gay men, who were badly beaten over the weekend in the eastern city of Arnhem, by holding hands.
The peaceful match was part of a national outpouring of anger at the incident in which the married men in Arnhem were beaten by a group of youths. Jasper Vernes-Sewratan and Ronnie Sewratan-Vernes told police the confrontation started because they were holding hands, The Guardian reported.
Prosecutors say five suspects, all in their teens, will be charged Thursday with causing serious bodily harm.
Politicians, government officials in Netherlands joined the protest as leader of the Democrats D66 party Alexander Pechtold and his spokesperson Wouter Koolmees arrived hand-in-hand for talks in The Hague, according to media reports.
Marcher Marion van Hees says she campaigned for gay rights during the 1960s and at age 68 “thought we were finished with it, that we had achieved it. But that is not the case, and that is very sad.”
Twitter users too hailed the “inspiring” march against homophobia with the hashtag #allemannenhandinhand.
(With agency inputs)