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Geert Wilders on race hate charge over anti-Moroccan chant | Geert Wilders on race hate charge over anti-Moroccan chant |
(1 day later) | |
Anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders will be prosecuted in the Netherlands for alleged discrimination and inciting hatred against Moroccans during election campaigning in March, prosecutors said on Thursday. | Anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders will be prosecuted in the Netherlands for alleged discrimination and inciting hatred against Moroccans during election campaigning in March, prosecutors said on Thursday. |
The charges stem from an incident in The Hague, when Wilders led an anti-Moroccan chant in a cafe, which was broadcast nationally and prompted 6,400 complaints to the police. | The charges stem from an incident in The Hague, when Wilders led an anti-Moroccan chant in a cafe, which was broadcast nationally and prompted 6,400 complaints to the police. |
Wilders asked supporters if they wanted more or fewer Moroccans in their city, triggering the chant: “Fewer! Fewer! Fewer!.” A smiling Wilders responded: “We’ll take care of that.” | Wilders asked supporters if they wanted more or fewer Moroccans in their city, triggering the chant: “Fewer! Fewer! Fewer!.” A smiling Wilders responded: “We’ll take care of that.” |
In a later TV interview, he referred to “Moroccan scum”. | In a later TV interview, he referred to “Moroccan scum”. |
The prosecution statement on Thursday said Wilders, whose Party for Freedom (PVV) tops the opinion polls in the Netherlands, will face charges of “insulting a specific group based on race and inciting discrimination and hatred”. | The prosecution statement on Thursday said Wilders, whose Party for Freedom (PVV) tops the opinion polls in the Netherlands, will face charges of “insulting a specific group based on race and inciting discrimination and hatred”. |
Politicians may go far in their comments under the right to free speech, prosecutors said, but “that freedom is limited by the prohibition of discrimination”. | Politicians may go far in their comments under the right to free speech, prosecutors said, but “that freedom is limited by the prohibition of discrimination”. |
Wilders appeared unrepentant on Thursday, saying he had spoken “the truth”. | Wilders appeared unrepentant on Thursday, saying he had spoken “the truth”. |
“I said what millions of people think and believe,” he said in a statement. “The public prosecutors should be going after jihadis instead of me. The PVV is the largest party in the polls and the elite apparently doesn’t like it.” | “I said what millions of people think and believe,” he said in a statement. “The public prosecutors should be going after jihadis instead of me. The PVV is the largest party in the polls and the elite apparently doesn’t like it.” |
Prosecutors had initially appeared reluctant to press charges after losing a similar trial against Wilders in 2011. | |
Legal experts have argued they have a stronger case this time around because he specifically targeted Moroccans, rather than the religion of Islam. | Legal experts have argued they have a stronger case this time around because he specifically targeted Moroccans, rather than the religion of Islam. |
Wilders, whose anti-Islam views have made him the target of death threats and who lives under 24-hour police protection, refused to respond to questioning when he was summoned by police to discuss the incident earlier this month. | Wilders, whose anti-Islam views have made him the target of death threats and who lives under 24-hour police protection, refused to respond to questioning when he was summoned by police to discuss the incident earlier this month. |
He had said he expected prosecutors to drop the charges. It is not yet known when the case will go to court. | He had said he expected prosecutors to drop the charges. It is not yet known when the case will go to court. |
• This article was amended on 19 December 2014. An earlier version referred to a previous trial against Wilders in 2007 rather than 2011. |
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