NH Nieuws — Campaign group calls for De Balie event to be cancelled
Campaign group calls for De Balie event to be cancelled: “Don’t give rape culture a platform”
21 October 2021, 13:25 · Updated 21 October 2021, 15:50 · By AT5/NH Amsterdam
The campaign group Geen Podium is calling on Amsterdam debate centre De Balie to cancel its programme on 27 October. A discussion with the art collective KIRAC is scheduled for that evening, and according to Geen Podium, it is an organisation “that perpetuates rape culture”. De Balie has announced in a statement that the event will go ahead.
In an open letter, the campaign group expresses its outrage at the planned event with KIRAC. The discussion will address the film Honeypot, in which conservative philosopher and former VVD councillor Sid Lukkassen is lured into a trap by means of a sexual encounter with a “left-wing girl”.
Provocative films about the established art world are characteristic of KIRAC, and Honeypot fits that pattern too. The premiere on 8 October was also controversial, according to the campaign group’s letter. They express their disgust at a stunt involving Julian A., who was welcomed there with a horse and flowers and “uncancelled”. A criminal investigation into A. is currently under way in connection with suspicions of sexual abuse.
“Don’t provide a platform”
The group believes the debate centre should take action. “We ask De Balie to consider the victims of sexual violence and how they would feel about someone facing allegations being welcomed and ‘uncancelled’. We ask De Balie not to provide a platform for sexual violence and rape culture.” The protest letter has now been signed more than 1,350 times.
“More critical context”
“We believe it is important to follow developments in art and society critically and provide context. It is our job to ensure that we do so carefully once they are on stage,” De Balie says in a statement. “To that end, De Balie has a good editorial team, and a range of voices is heard in editorial meetings.” The debate centre says it will provide more critical context during the evening than recent articles on the subject in newspapers such as Het Parool or NRC Handelsblad.