AMSTERDAM – Café Saarein, one of Amsterdam's longest-running queer venues, has announced it will refuse all funding from Stichting Pride Amsterdam (SPA), the official organizer of the city's Pride celebrations. In a detailed statement released ahead of WorldPride 2026, the bar condemned SPA's monopoly on permits and its reliance on corporate sponsors with controversial business practices.
Established in 1978 and historically known as a foundational space for women and the lesbian community, Saarein has long been a fixture in Amsterdam's queer landscape. Its decision adds a significant voice to the ongoing debate about the commercialization of Pride.
A Stand Against 'Pinkwashing'
In its public statement, the bar's management articulated a sharp critique of SPA's financial model. "We say NO," the statement reads. "No to their money. No to their pinkwashing. No to their attempts to buy off our hard-earned liberation. No to a pride funded by bloody dirty money."
The statement specifically called out major Pride sponsors, questioning their ethical suitability. It referenced Booking.com's alleged facilitation of "illegal settlements in occupied Palestine" and accused companies within the Pride Business Club, such as ING and Shell, of "funding global wars" and investing in military technology.
Saarein's management framed their decision within a broader political context, citing a global rise in fascism, the erosion of trans rights, and what they term "systems of fake inclusion."
Challenging from Within
The venue's primary objection is directed at what it describes as SPA's monopoly over Pride-related permits in Amsterdam. "An organization with such limited representation should not have sole control over decisions affecting a diverse community with many different voices," the statement argued. "Pride belongs to the people and the community, and is not theirs to own."
Despite this fundamental opposition, Café Saarein will not be fully boycotting the Pride period. Instead, it aims to challenge the system from within by hosting its own events without SPA's financial backing. The goal is to provide a community-focused space for those who feel alienated by the large-scale, corporate-sponsored main events.
"We respect those who choose a complete boycott," the bar explained. "At the same time we believe there have to be spaces to gather, celebrate, resist and care... We are here for each other. For those who need a place to celebrate on their own terms. For those whose joy cannot be sponsored, branded, or bought."
This move by a prominent and historic community institution highlights the persistent tension between the grassroots, activist origins of Pride and its modern incarnation as a major, commercially sponsored event. As Amsterdam prepares to host WorldPride, Saarein's stance ensures this critical conversation will remain part of the agenda.
