LGBT rights lobby says Pride chairman should quit over refugee comments

LGBT rights group COC Amsterdam has called on the chairman of the city’s Gay Pride foundation to step down following remarks he made about refugees on a radio programme.

Frits Huffnagel made the comments on public radio show Spraakmakers earlier this week during a discussion about the refugee problems on the border between Turkey and Greece.

‘We see a child and we think “oh how sad”, but we don’t see the father standing behind him who might have carried out war crimes or the mother in the background who facilitated it,’ Huffnagel, a VVD stalwart, said during the discussion. ‘These people should not come here.’

The COC has sent an open letter to the Pride organisation condemning the comments. ‘We would recommend you take serious measures, not least of which is the resignation of the chairman,’ the letter said. This year’s Pride boat parade is due to include a boat of refugees for the first time.

Meanwhile, Dutch aid groups have called on local councils to ‘show leadership and generosity’ by accepting at least 500 children who have been stranded in Greek refugee camps.

Thousands of children without parents are being denied water, food, education, medical care and a roof over their heads, the organisations say.

They hope Amsterdam, Groningen, Utrecht and Nijmegen will take the lead in forming a ‘Coalition of the Willing’ to persuade the government to change its mind.

France, Finland and Portugal have already said they will accept some of the children, as have several German mayors.

‘Our appeal to Dutch local authorities is to follow the German example,’ the aid groups say. ‘Show that you are prepared to take in some of this vulnerable children and make this known. This is the only way we can get the cabinet to act.’