Orange: colour of the Dutch and protest?

By Reed Stevenson

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Orange, the favoured colour of Dutch sports fans, should be used by visitors to the Olympics as the colour of protest, according to a Danish political activist.

Orange is also worn by monks in Tibet, in addition to their burgundy robes, and has been used in Ukraine and Kenya as a sign of political change.

That makes it an ideal colour to protest against China's human rights policies at the Beijing Olympics in August, says Danish sculptor Jens Galschiot.

"We want to encourage people to use orange as a symbol of human rights abuse in China," Galschiot said.

"China can't ban the colour, it's not able to ban it."

Fearing that the Games may become a stage for protests after the military crackdown in Tibet and disruption of the Olympic torch relay, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has issued guidelines to National Olympic Committees that their athletes should refrain from political statements.

The colour orange is intertwined with the Netherlands' royal House of Orange-Nassau, stretching back to the 16th century when William I, Prince of Orange, led a Dutch revolt against the Spanish that eventually resulted in independence.

"Orange is the colour of the royal family and of sports in the Netherlands," said Erwin te Bokkel, spokesman for the Dutch Olympic Committee. "Everyone knows about the colour, there's no concern there will be a misunderstanding."