Google+  FB Share  

Geert Wilders is calling on ‘everyone’ to take part in an anti-Islam demonstration in The Hague Schilderswijk district on September 20.

The anti-Islam PVV party leader made the call on Wednesday morning following reports in the Telegraaf about continuing unrest in the district.

Last weekend, a riot broke out in the district when around 150 Muslim youngsters began an illegal protest, blocking the route of a legal march against Muslim radicals and the IS (Islamic State) terror group.

It was the latest in a string of problems in the Schilderswijk which includes the harassment of psychiatric patients, fans of ISIS who dream of a caliphate in the area and anti-semitism.

Unacceptable

On Tuesday, justice minister Ivo Opstelten said the weekend riot was ‘unacceptable’ and called on the city council to take action.

The council is now set to meet on Wednesday evening to discuss the situation and mayor Jozias van Aartsen will finally return from holiday to attend the meeting.

Van Aartsen has been criticised for his absence and for his lack of action on previous occasions.

Second march

Wilders made his call to join the demonstration on September 20 after the organisers of the weekend march applied to the city council for permission to hold a second march.

‘I think lots of people, hopefully thousands, should join the march to show that this is about Dutch territory and we will not accept a sharia district,’ he told Dutch media.

Claims

That remark refers to claims made in early 2013 that the area was so dominated by orthodox Muslims they are dictating what people should wear and how they should behave. The claims were denied by police and local politicians.

If permission for the march is withheld, Wilders says he will march alone carrying the Dutch flag. ‘Even though my personal protection force will not think that is a good idea,’ he told the Telegraaf.