The Amsterdam municipal council will invite global victims of anti-gay violence to a reception at this year’s Gay Pride festival, reports the Parool.

Liberal democrat group D66 said it would be a nice gesture to do something, given a number of recent incidents including one against a Surinamese tourist. ‘We should also give foreign victims of anti-gay violence a sense that we as a city abhor this kind of awful incident,’ council member Jan-Bert Vroeje reportedly told the Parool.

Amsterdam Major Eberhard van der Laan added: ‘Without being bureaucratic, we should do something. Gay Pride can certainly have a healing effect.’

The event runs from 29^th July until 6^th August, with a canal parade and street parties on the final weekend.