NL landmarks lit in rainbow colors against Hungarian anti-LGBTQ+ law

Rotterdam’s Erasmus bridge and several city halls around the Netherlands were lit up in rainbow colors on Wednesday evening. The colors adopted by the LGBTQ+ community were shone on the landmarks as a protest to Hungary’s new law intended to ban ‘promotion of homosexuality’.

The law, initiated by the party of Prime Minister Viktor Orban, prohibits sharing with minors any content that portrays being gay or transgender. It also conflates pedophilia with LGBTQ+ issues. The law sparked anger from numerous countries. The new laws discriminate against LGBTQ+ people and "violate the right to freedom of expression under the pretext of protecting children," the Netherlands and other EU countries said in a statement on Wednesday.

Hungarian men’s football team faced Germany in a Euro ‘20 last group stage game in Munich on Wednesday. The proposal of Munich's city council to light up the Allianz Arena in LGBT colors for the game was not approved by UEFA. In response, a number of other football stadiums in Germany decided to display the colors on Wednesday. The Netherlands joined this initiative.

Georginio Wijnaldum, captain of the Dutch national football team, previously announced he would wear the #onelove captain's armband during the Last 16 Euro game against Czech Republic. The game is set to be played in the Hungarian capital Budapest on Sunday. The band reads "football connects", under a heart in rainbow colors.

Dutch companies and organizations active in Hungary also stated they were against a new anti-LGBTQ+ law in the country. ING, Unilever and the football association, KNVB, among others said they strongly condemned the law.