With loud music, a large group of colorful people gathers at the Alkmaar town hall. The march starts promptly at 1 p.m. With a lot of fanfare and attention, the crowds move towards the Ringerplein square.
In between, participants discuss the importance of the march. “It is desperately needed,” he said. “Not as hard as forty years ago, but necessary.”
Fighting for more acceptance for 45 years
According to interest group COC Noord-Holland Noord, safety and protection of LGBTI+ people is still extremely important. “Acceptance is declining. People are discriminated against and verbally abused and there is more and more self-torture among queer young people in the north of the province. Elderly people who go to care homes have to go back into the closet,” says intended chairman Kelly Meijers.
With her examples she wants to show how important a good safety net is for queer people. That is why it is also a big celebration for COC this week: the organization has been around for 45 years and this is being commemorated in detail.
In addition to the protest march, many other festivities and meetings are taking place in Alkmaar this week, with the boat parade next Saturday to top it all off.