Far-right Dutch lawmaker Geert Wilders called Islam a violent religion Friday and said the Prophet Mohammed was "barbaric," as he defended his controversial anti-Islamic film in London. Hundreds of protestors branded Wilders a racist as the firebrand politician -- presenting his film here days after a symbolic election win at home -- insisted that Islamism is incompatible with democracy.
"I have nothing against Muslims, but I have a problem with Islamic ideology, which I believe is a totalitarian ideology," he said after presenting his film, "Fitna," in the House of Lords at the invitation of an outspoken lawmaker. Wilders -- whose trip also sparked a rally by English nationalists who back him -- described the Prophet Mohammed as "barbaric." When challenged, he asked reporters: "Why should I not say that? It is the truth." "I believe we have enough Islam in Europe. I believe Islam is a violent religion," he said, adding "Islamism and democracy are incompatible. The more Islamism we have, the more freedom we will lose."
Wilders was refused entry when he first tried to show the film in Britain last February, but his travel ban was overturned and he made a first visit last October, before scheduling the screening of his film. "Fitna", which likens Islam to Nazism and juxtaposes images of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States with pictures of the Koran, has been described as "offensively anti-Islamic" by UN chief Ban Ki-moon. Wilders´ trip to London was hosted by Lord Malcolm Pearson, a member of parliament´s upper house and head of the eurosceptic UK Independence Party (UKIP). The Dutch politician said some 50-60 people had watched the House of Commons screening -- although Pearson admitted that fewer than that were present. "The important thing is that this debate has taken place and that Geert is here today and that he can say what he wants and we can uphold the principle of freedom of speech," said Pearson.
The visit came days after the 46-year-old leader of the Party for Freedom (PVV) -- who has compared the Koran to Hitler´s Mein Kampf -- scored a symbolic first municipal election victory in the Netherlands. The win in Almere, a city of nearly 190,000 people near Amsterdam, is a show of strength ahead of general elections in June. But Wilders conceded that it was unlikely he would become prime minister even if his party joined the government. "I would not become the prime minister because other parties would say ´I do not want to join," he said.
He also described Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan as a "total freak," but insisted he had nothing against mostly-Muslim Turkey, which is negotiating to join the European Union.
Outside several hundred protestors waved banners including one with a crossed-out swastika and the slogan "racists not welcome."
"Wilders comes from a long lineage of groups and individuals who use the freedom of speech argument to castigate a small minority in society," said Matthew Smith, a 22-year-old student from London. "To practise free speech requires that you also respect democratic values and do not incite hatred or violence," he told AFP.
A few hours later, after the anti-Wilders rally had largely dispersed, some 200 demonstrators mostly from the English Defence League (EDL) gathered in Parliament Square. They carried banners with slogans including "English Defence League - England needs a Geert," "Close east London mosque," and "Gert (sic) Wilders, England salutes you."
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Please understand most Dutch do not agree with Wilders!
