The Black Archives building in Amsterdam defaced | Inland

The building of The Black Archives is adorned with various faces of important figures from black history. Several of them were painted over with white paint by strangers. Stickers were also placed on the building with the text ‘soot sweep is genocide’.

D66 MP Jan Paternotte says on Twitter that the incident is proof that racism is a major problem. Paternotte will participate in the round table discussion on Thursday, in which experts, including Esajas, inform MPs about discrimination. At the beginning of his interrogation, Esajas reported the damage. He said he answered the committee questions “with goosebumps”.

It is not clear when the demolition took place and whether the incident is directly related to the hearing. According to Esajas, his organization is investigating the daubing. “We took pictures for the building yesterday, so we think it must have happened last night.”

Esajas is also part of the Kick Out Zwarte Piet action group. “We have had threats before, including during demonstrations against Zwarte Piet. We also see this daubing as an attempt to intimidate. There is a growing group of radicalized Dutch people who use violence against people who speak out against racism. Now it is getting very close. It feels unsafe. ”

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