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Zwarte Piet is a negative stereotype: court orders parade rethink

The administrative court says the mayor has six weeks to look again at the decision to allow the parade to go ahead last year and determine if the correct one was taken.

The administrative court said in its ruling that the Zwarte Piet character is insulting to black people and the mayor must decide which interest is more important: that of black Amsterdammers or society in general, news agency ANP reported.

Racist

Critics of Zwarte Piet – played by white people in blackface make-up – went to court last year in an effort to have the parade halted, arguing Sinterklaas’s servant is racist. 

That request was rejected by the courts, resulting in an appeal to the administrative court. 

Van der Laan is already in talks with both the pro and anti Piet lobby about this year’s parade.

Earlier this year, the Dutch folklore institute recommended making changes to Zwarte Piet’s appearance but did not suggest removing the blackface make-up.

The court’s ruling has no implications for Sinterklaas parades in the rest of the country, Nos television said.

Read more: Dutch court rules ‘Black Pete’ a negative stereotype 

 

© DutchNews.nl