Groningen city gets a rainbow zebra crossing

Groningen will get a rainbow zebra crossing, the Municipal Executive promised during the council meeting on 6 July. DWARS Groningen, the GroenLinkse youth, is very happy with the construction of this symbol of a diversity-friendly city. Last year, the young people themselves were in the news when they were stopped from constructing a temporary rainbow zebra crossing at Stationsplein, under penalty of arrest. The youths of GroenLinks tried to construct a temporary rainbow zebra crossing at night. This was not appreciated by station security, who sent the youths away. With this action, DWARS Groningen drew attention to the request to the Municipal Executive to construct a rainbow zebra crossing in the city. Meanwhile, the action proved a success: yesterday, the college agreed to install a permanent rainbow zebra crossing.

Chairman Jasper Been on behalf of DWARS Groningen: ‘We had to wait a while for it, but it's finally here! Groningen is showing that it is happy with the diversity of its residents and visitors. Unfortunately, the fight against intolerance is far from over. That is why it is important that the city explicitly welcomes minorities.’

The college has two locations in mind for the zebra crossing and will discuss them with DWARS and a representative of Groningen's LGBT community. The zebra crossing will be constructed before 11 October 2016, Coming Out Day. Groningen is thus following the example of other cities such as Utrecht and Maastricht.