News of: Saturday, May 28 2005,
Starting today, everyone can speak his/her mind in the Oosterpark in Amsterdam East.
The idea to have a speakers corner ('Spreeksteen') in the Oosterpark originated after the assassination of filmmaker Theo van Gogh, last year November. He was killed near one of the corners of the park.
The Spreeksteen consists of a concrete block, with an inscription of article 7.3 of the Dutch consitution, which mentions the freedom of speech.
After the murder of Van Gogh (by a Muslim radical) there has been much discussion on the topic of freedom of opinion.
At the official opening today, some politicians and people from the neighbourhood spoke from the Spreeksteen.
