Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.
Posted on 11/16/2014 7:11:38 PM PST by Impala64ssa
Dutch police have arrested dozens of people during a protest over Black Pete, a controversial black-faced sidekick to the local St Nicholas.
The police said most of the 90 people were arrested for protesting in a non-designated area in the city of Gouda.
Many in the Netherlands see Black Pete as a racial stereotype, but others say the tradition is not linked to race.
The Dutch version of the St Nicholas legend depicts him arriving by boat from Spain with armies of Black Petes.
Trouble broke out in Gouda, selected as the city to kick off this year's festivities, during a re-enactment of the arrival of Nicholas and his Black Petes.
State TV showed footage of scuffles as protesters unfurled banners reading "Black Pete is racism".
Police said protesters had been forbidden from demonstrating at the re-enactment, but refused to move away.
The Black Pete character is causing mounting controversy in the Netherlands.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
Thanks for clarifying; it has nothing to do with negroes then.
Love the user name; my wife is a Spaniard, and to this day they alone are exempt from the meat abstinence rule because of the role they played at Lepanto.
Thanks; so they just invented a racial angle for some camera time?
Amazed they don’t protest a white St Nick.
I refuse to let them determine what’s “controversial” or to control the agenda.
Traditionally, Saint Nicklaus came to Holland from Spain (Dutch fought their war of independence against Spain) with an army of Moors, ie blacks.
Now THAT may be racist. This opens a whole new field for the oppressed to feel outraged.
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