Jan Böhmermann, Markus Söder and Olivia Jones react to the UEFA decision on the Allianz Arena in rainbow colors on social media.
No rainbow arena at the European Championship match between Germany and Hungary on Wednesday evening: “In view of the political context,” the European football association UEFA has rejected the Munich City Council’s proposal to let the Allianz Arena shine in the colors of the rainbow as a symbol of tolerance and diversity. Many think that the host of EURO 2020 is bowing to Hungary’s political views.
Drag queen Olivia Jones (51): “If you set a Europe-wide sign of solidarity, for tolerance and against exclusion, that is not a policy but actually a matter of course in the 21st century.” In addition, she demanded that Conchita Wurst (32) “or another self-confessed homosexual will sing the German national anthem in the stadium tomorrow”. Also author and moderator Micky Beisenherz (43): “Refusing to adhere to basic democratic values, I find that very political.”
Stefan Leifert, the head of the ZDF regional studio in Bavaria: “UEFA and DFB cannot get out of the matter: If an application for rainbow lighting is political – it is even more a ban.” The Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder (54, CSU): “It’s a shame that the Munich arena is not allowed to shine in rainbow colors. That would have been a very good sign for tolerance and freedom.”
: “UEFA does not want a symbol of openness and tolerance. That is one more disappointment. Obviously, it is mainly about the money.” “It would be cool if on the day of the match the weather was such that there was a fat rainbow all the time”.
Civil Disobedience Considerations
There are also considerations on civil disobedience elsewhere: How expensive it would be to oppose the ban on lighting “and couldn’t we all get together?” : “What if the DFB still turns on the rainbow?” And actor Marcus Mittermeier (51), “to hand the Hungarian captain a rain pennant tomorrow.”
Other German stadiums have already agreed to light up in rainbow colors during the game. The football arenas in Frankfurt am Main, Cologne, Berlin, Mainz, Wolfsburg and Augsburg want to shine brightly. “If Munich is not allowed to be on Wednesday, then the other stadiums in the country have to show their colors. Up now, colleagues in the league!”: “Football has to live up to its social responsibility in its role as a link between people. This includes also to stand up for a world in which everyone can love whoever they want. ”
Dieter Reiter (63, SPD), the Lord Mayor of Munich, also reflects the mood in his response to the press. He finds it “shameful that UEFA forbids us here in Munich to give a sign of cosmopolitanism, tolerance, respect and solidarity to the many people in the LGBTIQ community.” He is also disappointed with the German Football Association. And makes it clear: “In Munich we will definitely not let ourselves be deterred from sending a clear signal to Hungary and the world.” The town hall should show its colors on Wednesday, the wind turbine in the immediate vicinity of the arena and the Olympic tower.
The background to the action planned by the Munich City Council was a new law that Hungary recently passed, which forbids the portrayal of homosexuality and transsexuality in advertising as normal and forbids books and films on the subject for young people.
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