About 20 Muslim protesters demonstrated against the visit of Geert Wilders, the far-right Dutch MP, as he arrived for a meeting in Britain's parliament, forcing him to take refuge in a nearby building.
Wilders, who faces prosecution in his homeland for anti-Islam remarks, came to London on Friday after winning an appeal earlier in the week against a ban on him entering the UK.
Scores of police formed a barrier between a group calling itself "Islam in the UK" and Wilders' car as the protesters waved banners reading "Sharia for the Netherlands" and shouted "Wilders go to Hell" and "Muslims rise up".
Wilders, whose film Fitna which argues the Quran incites violence, was barred in February because British ministers said his presence would threaten community harmony and public safety.
'Enemy of Islam'
Abu Muaz, a protester, said: "This man is an enemy of Islam and of Muslims and the British government is well aware of this and this just gives rise to so-called extremism."
The politician had planned to speak to the media on a green area outside the parliament, but was forced to hold it inside a parliamentary office on the advice of police.
Wilders said: "Being here today in the United Kingdom is a victory, it's not so much a victory for myself, because I am not that important, but it is a victory for freedom of speech."
He is in London at the invitation of Lord Malcolm Pearson, a member of Britain's UK Independence party, to discuss showing Fitna in parliament.
The film urges Muslims to tear out "hate-filled" verses from the Quran.
Wilders, who has compared Islam to Nazism, faces prosecution in Amsterdam for inciting hatred and discrimination.
'Law-abiding people'
Speaking on Friday, he said: "I have nothing against Muslims, I know the majority of Muslims in our society are law-abiding people.
"I have a problem with the Islamic ideology, the Islamic culture because I believe that the more Islam we get in our free societies, the less freedom we will get.
"It is ridiculous that the UK government thought that my presence would in any way lead to violence."
Britain's Asylum and Immigration Tribunal overturned the ban on Wilders entering the country on Tuesday following a challenge by the politician.
A spokesman for the UK's interior ministry said: "We are disappointed by the court's decision. The government opposes extremism in all its forms."
He said that the authorities would monitor Wilders during his stay in the UK, which could affect future decisions on whether to allow him entry. Source
And as for the onewho fears standing in front of His Lord and restrainsthe soul from impure evil desires and lusts, verily, Paradise will be his abode [79:40-41]
After successfully overturning a ban on his presence in the country, Geert Wilders was never going to slip quietly into the UK.
Geert Wilders was at the centre of a media scrum
The controversial Dutch politician sent a text message to Associated Press as he cleared customs at Heathrow to ensure the world's media had got the message.
But even he cannot have anticipated the scenes waiting for him in Westminster, as he swept into a side street opposite the Houses of Parliament.
His plan to stage an open-air news conference around the corner on College Green had to be abandoned when about 40 protesters arrived on the scene chanting "Wilders go to hell" and waving placards saying "Sharia for the Netherlands" and "Islam will be superior".
The MP, who is an outspoken critic of Muslim ideology and has called for the Koran to be banned, was bundled through a gate in the high stone wall surrounding Abbey Gardens, an outpost of the House of Lords which was to be the venue for his hastily rearranged conference.
The young Muslims outside, held in check by a line of police officers, chanted "Wilders running scared" and "Wilders come out" - but they were far outnumbered by reporters and photographers, many from the MP's native Netherlands, who seemed even more desperate to get into the overcrowded venue.
Insulted
They also proved an eager audience for the protesters' claims that "the Muslims will be dominant" and "we want Sharia law".
The protesters' main complaint against Mr Wilders was that he had insulted the Prophet Muhammad.
"I think being here today in the UK is a victory" Geert Wilders
The group dismissed suggestions they were playing into his hands with their chants of "free speech go to hell", arguing they had a right to counter his "rubbish". Asked if they were representing the views of other Muslims, one replied: "It is not about representing Muslims. It is about representing Islam."
But Sayful Islam, who was leading their anti-Wilders chants, said he believed Mr Wilders' views on Islam were shared by "every Western government".
"He is just the open voice of the Western governments. This is exactly what they wish to follow," he said.
Protesters were held back by a line of police officers
Mr Islam told reporters Mr Wilders was a "dog" who should be "tried by an Islamic court" for insulting the Prophet but he refused to say what he thought the MP's punishment should be. "I am not silly," he grinned, hinting that he was aware where the media were trying to lead him.
"Do your research," added another protester.
Asked if he was representing a particular group, Mr Islam smiled again and said: "I am with the Muslims, man."
After about half an hour, the protesters disappeared as quickly as they had arrived, their point seemingly made.
'Voice of reason'
Meanwhile, inside the building, Mr Wilders was telling reporters: "I think being here today in the UK is a victory. It's not so much a victory for myself. I am not that important. It is a victory for freedom of speech."
The Freedom Party MP then did his best to sound like the voice of reason, saying that although he would have preferred to stage his news conference on College Green as planned, he was pleased the young Muslims had exercised their democratic right to demonstrate, something he said would be denied them in an Islamist state.
Pressed further on the purpose of his visit to the UK, given that he was not going to screen the film that had caused him to be banned in February, he said it would allow him to speak to his lawyers and friends face-to-face rather than over the internet but really it was a "token of victory".
"You can be as rude as you like about Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, anything you want and you do not inspire the violent hatred" Lord Pearson, UK Independence Party
He was quizzed about his views on Islam and his unsuccessful attempt in the Dutch parliament to get the Koran banned, using the same laws under which Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf was outlawed. He had been defeated in a vote, he said, and as a democrat he had accepted that.
There was then a heated exchange with reporters standing on chairs at the back of the room, craning to get a look at him over the forest of microphones, about whether he should also have called for the Bible to be banned, given that some Christians were terrorists.
That was not his argument at all, he told the reporters, although his attempt to elucidate further was drowned out by more questions.
He denied his call for the Koran to be banned had been an affront to free speech.
"Even in the United States, where they have a first amendment, there is one red line, which is the incitement of violence and this was exactly my point," he told reporters.
His host, the UKIP peer Lord Pearson claimed that if Mr Wilders had called for the Bible to be banned, "none of this would have happened".
"You can say ban the Bible. You can be as rude as you like about Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, anything you want and you do not inspire the violent hatred which is coming from them towards us. We do not hate them. We do not hate them. We fear them."
Did the peer also want to outlaw the Koran?
"I don't agree with that at all. I want the Koran discussed very much more and I want it particularly discussed by the 98% or whatever it is of the Muslim community who are mild, peace-loving people.
"But what I want them to do is to get up off their bottoms and take on their violent co-religionists who do base these acts of evil on the Koran."
And as for the onewho fears standing in front of His Lord and restrainsthe soul from impure evil desires and lusts, verily, Paradise will be his abode [79:40-41]
Meh. This guy is like the Abu Lahab of the moment.
"Freedom Party"? What a load of absolute rubbish. If they get into power, then I looks more like "Nazi Party" for the brothers and sisters of the Netherlands. This guy doesn't even deserve protests he is so ridiculous, just a big child with a stick prodding, prodding until he gets a reaction.
He got his reaction of course, and more - an unwitting and frankly stupid protestor (Mr. "Saful Islam") getting skinned alive by the media.
The thing is, if they are anything like UKIP in the U.K. (which his host and fellow anti-Islamic extremist Lord Pearson belongs to) then I don't think one should fret over them coming to power any time soon...
I think the fact that his original ban was rescinded was not that big a deal here in the UK as far as public opinion was concerned; people are clearly more interested in watching X FACTOR apparently, than listening to what this nutjob has to say. But what worries me is some of the Muslim protesters outside the Houses of Parliament, who were wielding placards with some pretty ridiculous things on them. They are the ones who are really inflicting more damage on the Muslim community rather then Wilders himself.
There should be peaceful protests, non-inflammatory, and id much rather see it done under the aegis of the Unite Against Facism (UAF) movement. That would symbolise a united, national repugnance towards everything this man stands for an embodies, including the likes of the BNP.
I saw those signs being held up by the muslims in that pic when I was reading this on al jazeera and I don't what the muslims with those signs hoped to serve by making signs with messages like that it just serves to prove ignorants like this man right.
salam
Wilders is probably a Zionist. They are the only people who attack Islam with such desperate hostility. Don't make the mistake of thinking him a "Nazi". My dad was in the German Army and he told me about the "Islamic SS". They were big Arabs with big turbans on. The Nazis were friends with Islam, not the enemy as they both hated Jews for their global treachery.
I saw those signs being held up by the muslims in that pic when I was reading this on al jazeera and I don't what the muslims with those signs hoped to serve by making signs with messages like that it just serves to prove ignorants like this man right.
salam
I agree. They were displaying some sentiments that were in no way reflective of mainstream Muslim opinion. I would really like to meet some of these people and shake them.
format_quote Originally Posted by Karl
Wilders is probably a Zionist. They are the only people who attack Islam with such desperate hostility. Don't make the mistake of thinking him a "Nazi". My dad was in the German Army and he told me about the "Islamic SS". They were big Arabs with big turbans on. The Nazis were friends with Islam, not the enemy as they both hated Jews for their global treachery.
I totally agree he is more Zionist than Nazi, just a figure-of-speech, as although different in their ideology, they are (or were) both trying to form an ethnostate through propaganda and persecution. The holocaust ironically gave birth to Zionism, as the Jews now had a pretext of needing a "land for the Jews" and that was pretty much the start of Israel. In a way, they became the very thing they hated!
Wilders has apparently lived and worked in Israel several times during his life so there is definitely a possibility of Zionist influence.
I can't believe they take this guy so seriously. He is nothing but a joke.
I don't agree with some of those protestors either.
And as for the onewho fears standing in front of His Lord and restrainsthe soul from impure evil desires and lusts, verily, Paradise will be his abode [79:40-41]
Wilders couldn't have hoped for a better response than the muslim protestors with the radical signs (and equally radical youtube video i saw) and the media exposure it got him. The man will only gain from media attention, given his message. He is one of those people for whom "no advertising is bad advertising"
Honestly just ignore the Dutch MP. Ugh this is extremely annoying me....
I was looking at myself talking to myself and I realized this conversation...I was having with myself looking at myself was a conversation with myself that I needed to have with myself.
When the film was releaed, I suggested on this forum that each point the film be discussed one at a time.
Management decided this would promote the film and no discussion took place.
As none of you have seen the film, why do you protest?
-
Film? I take it you mean that drivel Fitna? Sorry I have better ways to spend 17 minutes of my time.
But if the wikipedia summary (which is as far as I'd go looking into this "film") is accurate, it contains the same old Qur'anic verses taken out of context (yawn) if you need a discussion on these I'm surprised you've been on the website as long as you have. Oh, and it features quotes from random unknown imams like Sheikh Bakr Al-Samarai (who?), a random three-year-old girl (REAL tasteful) and finally President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran (who is the mouth-piece of Muslims everywhere, dontcha know)!
What exactly does this film have to say about Islam that anyone can take seriously?
When the film was releaed, I suggested on this forum that each point the film be discussed one at a time.
Management decided this would promote the film and no discussion took place.
As none of you have seen the film, why do you protest?
-
Dude, his crap HAS been refuted time and time again. These new-school critics are saying the same crap people said to the Prophet himself. And were refuted at his time and have been until this day - nothing new, just the same old crap again and again. It only takes one google search (you know, the thing they used to find a criticism of it!) to find the refutation.
Now, I don't mind if this Git wilders actually has a formal debate about his nonsense (and he'd very easily get refuted and put in his place), but you can quite clearly see he has no interest in that. He is simply picking on Islam because it's the thing to do of this era. Every right-winged nut-job takes a crack at it. It used to be the blacks, then the jews, then asians in general, now it's Islam and all related.
The guy knows quite a few people hate Islam right now (for all the most insane reasons too might I add; some don't even HAVE a reason - yes france, that means you) and he also knows that people agree on a common enemy. ''Give me a platform to speak, I don't care if I am ridiculed or killed (in either case I am martyr for my cause) and at the very least I will gain support and a truck-load of money. Because I am the world's biggest douche and the only accomplishment in my life word fulfilling is this. Yes I'm so fcuking cool!''
And the silly thing is, people fall for this crap again and again. Oh let the idiot speak. Yes, go ahead let him speak and then ponder on why your world turned to complete and utter ****; why group X got so pissed, people got killed and why noone on the planet respects anyone anymore.
But it's not a problem for me. Oh no! I'm kicking academic ass - I have a degree (which I payed for by MYSELF with a scholarship that I EARNT) and I've started my Masters in ISLAMIC FINANCE (which btw is THE way out of the recession and all the world's economical problems - eat that france, you racist douche) and this time next year I will be earning such a ludicrous amount of money and you won't because ''oh no Islam is evil, it must be stopped''.
Someone said to the Prophet, "Pray to God against the idolaters and curse them." The Prophet replied, "I have been sent to show mercy and have not been sent to curse." (Muslim)
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