COC Eindhoven hoists a new rainbow flag on Saturday and there is also someone on behalf of PSV. With this, the interest group for LGBTI people wants to protest peacefully against the anti-gay violence of football supporters last Saturday. The COC receives a lot of support: “The telephone is ringing.” Eleven parties in the municipal council jointly asked council questions to the municipal council.
A group of twenty football supporters attacked the building of COC Eindhoven on Saturday. At that time, a meeting for young LGBTI people was taking place.
The group walked down the street where the COC is located. There they saw a rainbow flag hanging and they pulled it down. The volunteer who confronted them about this received a blow to the head. An assault has been reported. In a closed Telegram group (Ultras not Reds), images of a burnt rainbow flag are circulating.
The police confirm that it appears to be football supporters. She also knows about the video in the Telegram group. Because of the investigation, she can’t say much more.
“A lot of people want to show their support.”
The COC received many responses. “The telephone is ringing with people who want to support us. There are also reactions from municipal politics, national politics and PSV,” says chairman Benjamin Ector.
The COC itself has announced a peaceful counter-action. “On Saturday we will hoist a new rainbow flag. Someone will also be there on behalf of the management of PSV. We will also continue with the organization of the first Pride Walk on June 10 in Eindhoven.”
Sanne Clements, spokesperson for PSV: “Although we do not yet know whether they were supporters of PSV, we want to show that we disapprove of any form of anti-gay violence. We want to support the COC and cooperate with the police investigation. People who do this , we don’t want to be in our stadium.”
“We don’t want people who do this in our stadium.”
The municipality of Eindhoven does not leave it at that either. The Queer 040 Foundation has presented the municipality with a rainbow flag. The municipality has informed the foundation that it will hang at the city hall next Saturday and during Pride Walk in June.
Eleven parties in the city council have asked B and W joint council questions. About what happened on Saturday, but also about safety during the Pride Walk.
“Municipality is a support and rock.”
“The municipality is really a support after the violence,” says COC chairman Ector. Still, the shock is still good among the young people who experienced it all on Saturday. “For the time being, they may still be afraid to walk down the street with rainbow colors or other expressions. In any case, we keep warm contact with them. Some of them have asked for victim support.”
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