Trepidation over Wilders' anti-Islam film

Tensions are growing over the expected release of a film by Geert Wilders, leader of the right-wing populist Freedom Party. At the end of last year Mr Wilders announced he was working on a film about the Koran as "a source of inspiration for intolerance, murder and terror". Dutch ministers have apparently been holding secret meetings about the film for some time. They are concerned about its possible repercussions in the Netherlands and abroad.

During a visit to the European Parliament in Strasburg this week, Syria's Grand Mufti Ahmad Badr al-Din Hassoun said that if the Freedom Party leader tears up or burns a Koran in his film,

"this will simply mean he is inciting wars and bloodshed. And he will be responsible. It is the responsibility of the Dutch people to stop Wilders."

The Muslim cleric's tone is reminiscent of the crisis that followed the publishing of the Danish cartoons of Mohammed two years ago. His words are all the more ominous considering that the most violent protests took place in Syria.

Secret meetings

The Dutch authorities are concerned about the possible repercussions of the anti-Koran film which Freedom Party leader Geert Wilders plans to release at the end of January.

On Wednesday it was announced that Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, Interior Minister Guusje ter Horst and Justice Minister Ernst Hirsch Ballin have been holding secret meetings about the expected consequences for some time. The National Coordinator for Counterterrorism, Tjibbe Joustra, is also involved in the discussions.

Mr Wilders announced his plans last November. He said he was making a film to show that the Koran is a fascist book which incites believers to violence and hatred.

Mr Wilders' remarks about Islam have become increasingly radical since the beginning of 2007. In February last year he said that if Muslims want to stay in the Netherlands they should tear out half the Koran and throw it away. In parliament he then called for the Koran to be banned, a proposal that was promptly rejected.

Mr Wilders now appears to be continuing his campaign against the Koran with this film. However, its exact content and where it will be shown remains shrouded in mystery. The big question is whether he will publicly desecrate the Koran, perhaps by tearing it up or burning it.

Tensions

Shortly after Mr Wilders had announced the making of his film, the interior and justice ministers held an interview with him, warning him of its possible repercussions and the associated risks to him personally. It appears that in November the interior minister also sent a letter to all mayors in the Netherlands, asking them to be 'extra alert' to the tensions that might arise, even before the film is released. "The announcement of the film," she wrote, "could lead to unrest in society and tension between population groups."

Police forces in major cities such as Amsterdam and Rotterdam say they are preparing for possible disturbances after the premiere of the notorious film, and seeking the cooperation of imams and other leading figures in the Muslim communities.

Danish cartoons

The Dutch authorities are also concerned about the reaction abroad, bearing in mind the spectre of the Danish cartoon crisis two years ago, when in many Muslim countries demonstrations were held, some of which turned violent. Dutch embassies in Islamic countries have received instructions on how to respond to possible violent protests against the film, and Dutch citizens abroad have been asked to register with their embassies in case evacuation becomes necessary.

Earlier this week Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen was in Madrid to attend the Alliance of Civilisations, an international forum aimed at reducing tensions between the Islamic world and the West. He was repeatedly questioned about the film. Addressing the forum he spoke about freedom of religion and expression.

"It is difficult to anticipate the content of the film, but freedom of expression doesn't mean the right to offend."

If the film is unacceptable, said Mr Verhagen, the Dutch government will express its disagreement in no uncertain terms. After the Danish cartoon crisis, various experts said they believed the wave of protest around the world might have been prevented if the Danish government had immediately distanced itself from the cartoons of the prophet Mohammed.

RNW

BNP wastes police time with complaint about Muslim demo

(Click on image to enlarge)

A few days ago, the British National Party's West Midlands Organiser, Simon Darby, made a formal complaint to the West Midlands Police about the posters for the planned 'Muslims Rise Against British Oppression' demo outside 10 Downing Street on June 15th. In his letter, Darby took particular exception to the word 'rise'. He states:

'To encourage members of the Muslim community to "rise" is clearly either an incitement to violence or to open rebellion.'

If he had taken a couple of seconds to go to the website which is prominently advertised on the poster, he would soon have found the following statement:

'Insha-Allah, on Friday the 15th of June, Muslims all over the country will be gathering together united as 'One Block' outside 10 Downing Street. They will Rise against the British oppression and demonstrate peacefully against the government!'

Of course, the well-known BNP double-standards are ever-active. Following all the fuss about the prophet cartoons a few months back, the BNP were more than happy to use them on their next anti-Muslim election leaflets, thus deliberately encouraging, inciting and indeed hoping for, a breach of the peace that the party could exploit for its own ends.

Darby goes on:

'I am attaching both posters, drawing your attention in particular to the colour version which, together with inflammatory wording, contains irresponsible images of violence which could easily and very dangerously be misconstrued.'

Well, no. The poster is clearly meant to advertise a demonstration against the oppression of Muslims and it only shows images of the oppression of Muslims. The fact that these images are violent in nature is simply a reflection of the fact that oppression is a violent business.

Darby again:

'If the British National Party distributed posters encouraging the British community to "rise" against their Islamic oppressors together with graphic images of Islamic violence against non-Muslims one needs little imagination to predict what the reaction of the police would be.'

Yes, nothing at all - as we saw when the BNP attempted to exploit the July 2005 London bombings by reprinting images of the destroyed bus (along with images of the prophet with a bomb in his turban), trying desperately to make everyone believe that every Muslim was a lunatic preparing to blow up his neighbour. Funny how the BNP objects to the very things it does itself.

In fact, we wouldn't be surprised if far more people linked to the BNP had been in court for explosives-related crimes than Muslims over the past few years - Robert Cottage, David Jackson, Mark Bulman, David Tovey, David Copeland and Tony Lecomber spring to mind without much effort - making Darby's complaint hypocrisy of the highest order.

For the benefit of Simon Darby, we'll reprint the information that appears on the web page for the demonstration:

'Insha-Allah, on Friday the 15th of June, Muslims all over the country will be gathering together united as 'One Block' outside 10 Downing Street. They will Rise against the British oppression and demonstrate peacefully against the government!

We urge all the Muslims including families that have lost a family member to the crusaders, and the communities to take part in this demonstration. This demonstration is for YOU! You need to take part and let the people here your sufferings!

What we will achieve from the demonstration!

Put pressure on the government for the release of Muslim captives. As families and communities if we make a stand and demand for the release of Muslims held as captives, we can create public opinion to put pressure on the government for their release. It will make the oppressors think twice before they do anything!

To show a clear message to the oppressors that they will not silence the Muslim community, no matter how many terror laws they introduce and raids they do.

Fulfil our obligation to support the Muslims that have been oppressed. It is to show support to all those who have been arrested and to show support to all those families that have been left devastated because of the raids, arrests and incarcerations.

Fulfil our obligation of commanding good and forbidding evil.

Fulfil our obligation to speakout against the oppressors and the tyrants.'

Which all sounds pretty reasonable to us. In fact we rather feel that if anyone should be reported to the police, it should be the BNP - for wasting police time.