A leading Dutch pro-paedophilia campaigner has made formal complaints of discrimination against Rabobank and ABN Amro for refusing to give him a bank account, the Volkskrant reports on Wednesday.
Marthijn Uittenbogaard, a prominent member of the now-illegal pro-paedophile organisation Martijn, claims Rabobank cancelled an appointment with him to open an account on Tuesday. The bank said it could not do business with him because of his views, Uittenbogaard said.
ABN Amro has also refused to give him a bank account, although he can still use an ABN Amro account which he opened before he went public with his views, Uitenbogaard told the Volkskrant.
Views
Rabobank has confirmed refusing to do business with Uittenbogaard but declined to say on what grounds, the Volkskrant says. ABN Amro said it is surprised by the claim. ‘We do not exclude clients because of their views,’ a spokesman told the paper.
Jessica Silversmith of the Amsterdam discrimination hotline said the complaint would not succeed. Banks are allowed to refuse clients and paedophiles are not protected by anti-discrimination laws, she said.
Silversmith pointed out that some banks have refused to give prostitutes bank accounts after prostitution was legalised in 2000.
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