'Let them arrest me': Dutch MP vows to defy Home Office ban and fly to
Britain to show anti-Islam film
By Michael Lea
Last updated at 3:51 PM on 11th February 2009
A right-wing Dutch politician who has been banned from Britain said
today he planned to defy the authorities and fly to the UK, stating 'Let
them put me in handcuffs'.
Geert Wilders had been invited by the UK Independence Party (UKIP) peer
Lord Pearson to show his anti-Islam film 'Fitna' and hold a Q&A session
in Parliament tomorrow.
The 17-minute documentary features verses from the Koran - which it
brands a 'fascist book' - alongside images of the 9/11 and 7/7 terrorist
attacks.
It equates Islam's holy text with violence and ends with a call to
Muslims to remove its 'hate-preaching' verses.
After being alerted to the private screening, Home Secretary Jacqui
Smith barred Mr Wilders on the grounds that his visit was a threat to
'community harmony and therefore public security'.
But Mr Wilders today said he planned to contravene the ban and defiantly
announced his intention to arrive in the UK tomorrow.
He told Radio Netherlands today: 'I'll see what happens at the border.
Let them put me in handcuffs.'
The ban brought a furious response from the Dutch foreign minister
Maxime Verhagen - a political opponent of Mr Wilders - who complained
directly to the Foreign Secretary David Miliband in a 'curt' telephone
call.
'The fact that a Dutch parliamentarian is refused entry to another EU
country is highly regrettable,
However, Britain is refusing to give way, even though Mr Wilders is a
democratically-
political party.
A defiant Mr Wilders, who claims to have visited the House of Lords in
December, called the decision 'cowardly' and vowed last night to go
ahead with his visit.
'Let them try to detain me,' he said. 'I'll see what happens at the
border. Let them put me in handcuffs. We are talking here about a
European Union country, one of the oldest democracies in the Western
world.'
While Mr Verhagen said the Dutch government would press Britain to
reverse the ban, Lord Pearson said he was 'very surprised' to hear the
news.
Under UK and EU immigration rules, a person can be refused entry to
Britain, 'if his exclusion is justified on grounds of public policy,
public security or public health.'
The 17-minute documentary features verses from the Koran - which it
brands a 'fascist book' - alongside images of the 9/11 and 7/7 terrorist
attacks
The Home Office refused to comment on the individual case of Mr Wilders.
But a spokesman said: 'The Government opposes extremism in all its
forms. It will stop those who want to spread extremism, hatred and
violent messages in our communities from coming to our country.
'We endorse the original condemnation of the film 'Fitna' by the Dutch
Government, and feel that it serves no constructive purpose.
'The British Government has absolutely no connection with any screening
of this film that may take place in the House of Lords or anywhere else
in the UK. It is a matter for the House of Lords or any other venue as
to whether they choose to show it.
'Freedom of speech is a fundamental right, but one that must be used
responsibly and not as a cover for causing offence and division. We
fully appreciate the sensitivities around the portrayal of any religious
figure or text.'
The film, which has been posted on the internet, was originally to have
been shown last month but the screening was cancelled following fierce
protests from the UK's Muslim community.
Mr Wilders has urged that the Dutch government to ban the Koran in the
same way it did Adolf Hitler's book 'Mein Kampf'
Supporters of free sppech also condemned the move by Britain. Tory MEP
Daniel Hannan said: 'It's true that Geert Wilders is a controversialist,
who takes pleasure in causing offence. I wouldn't vote for him if I were
Dutch.
'But what I think of him is neither here nor there. Freedom means the
freedom to express any opinion, however eccentric, however offensive.
The Dutch foreign minister, a political opponent of Mr Wilders, has
complained to David Miliband. Good for him.
'Whether our government is actuated by cowardice or authoritarianism,
it's equally ugly. We are a meaner country than we were this morning.'
A Foreign Office spokesman refused to comment on the diplomatic row,
saying simply: 'The two ministers spoke today.'
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith: Barred Mr Wilders on the grounds that his
visit was a threat to 'community harmony and therefore public security'
Mr Wilders has urged that the Dutch government to ban the Koran in the
same way it did Adolf Hitler's book 'Mein Kampf' and warned of a
'tsunami' of Islam swamping the Netherlands.
He is currently facing prosecution in Amsterdam for incitement to hatred
and discrimination, a rarely punished crime in the generally liberal
Netherlands which carries a maximum one-year prison term.
As a result of hs controversial views, he has lived for five years with
round-the-clock security because of his fierce criticism of Islam.
His Freedom Party holds nine of the Dutch parliament's 120 seats.
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Wednesday, 11 February 2009
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