- Title: Dutch far-right leader Wilders tells court charges against him are "crazy"
- Date: 23rd November 2016
- Summary: SCHIPHOL, THE NETHERLANDS (NOVEMBER 23, 2016) (AGENCY POOL) MOTORCADE THAT, ACCORDING TO COURT SECURITY, BELONGS TO WILDERS, ENTERING THE COURTHOUSE DUTCH RIGHT-WING POLITICIAN, GEERT WILDERS, ENTERING THE COURTROOM VARIOUS OF WILDERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS JUDGES WILDERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS (SOUNDBITE) (Dutch) MP AND LEADER OF FREEDOM PARTY, GEERT WILDERS, SAYING: "This is a political process because political statements should be debated in the parliament and not here. It is a political process because other politicians belonging to mostly governing parties who spoke about Moroccans are not being prosecuted. It is a political process because your court is being misused for a political liquidation of a politician from the opposition which they cannot beat in the parliament." JUDGE TAKING NOTES (SOUNDBITE) (Dutch) MP AND LEADER OF FREEDOM PARTY, GEERT WILDERS, SAYING: "... (I am prosecuted) because of race (discrimination), how crazy can it be? Race? Which race? I spoke and asked a question about Moroccans. Moroccans are no race, who came up with this? Do you think that somebody who is watching this, or reading about this in the newspaper tomorrow, somebody at home, can understand why Moroccans would suddenly be a race? This is absolute nonsense." CAMERA (SOUNDBITE) (Dutch) MP AND LEADER OF FREEDOM PARTY, GEERT WILDERS, SAYING: "Worldwide, a movement has started which puts an end to the politically correct doctrines from those elites and the media dependent on them. Brexit proved this. The American elections proved this. It is about to be proven in Austria and Italy. Next year it will also be proven in France, Germany and yes, also in the Netherlands. A new course is being taken." JUDGES LEAVING COURTROOM WILDERS LEAVING COURTROOM EXTERIOR OF THE SPECIAL COURT
- Embargoed: 8th December 2016 17:49
- Keywords: Wilders hate speech trial Moroccans
- Location: SCHIPHOL, THE NETHERLANDS
- City: SCHIPHOL, THE NETHERLANDS
- Country: Netherlands
- Topics: Crime/Law/Justice,Judicial Process/Court Cases/Court Decisions
- Reuters ID: LVA00159O2P8N
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Dutch anti-immigration party leader Geert Wilders told judges at the end of his discrimination trial on Wednesday (November 23) "I am no racist" and said anyone who wanted to silence him would have to kill him first.
Virtually tied in opinion polls with the VVD party of conservative Prime Minister Mark Rutte ahead of a March 15 parliamentary election, Wilders' tough stance on immigration has set the national agenda for a decade.
He made the comments in a final statement in his trial on charges of discrimination and inciting hatred for remarks during 2014 campaigning that he wanted "fewer" Moroccans in the Netherlands.
"I spoke and asked a question about Moroccans. Moroccans are no race, who came up with this? Do you think that somebody who is watching this, or reading about this in the newspaper tomorrow, somebody at home, can understand why Moroccans would suddenly be a race? This is absolute nonsense," Wilders said.
Prosecutors, who reject Wilders' claim that the trial is about the right to free speech, demanded last Thursday (November 17) that he pay a fine of 5,000 euros ($5,400) but did not ask for a prison sentence to be imposed.
He said that calling for fewer Moroccans in the Netherlands was obviously not meant as a call for genocide, but to carry out his party's agenda, including expelling criminals with dual Moroccan nationality, a stricter immigration policy and an "active voluntary repatriation policy".
Wilders has never governed, but his anti-Islam, anti-EU stances have won him widespread public support.
He told the judges not to be puppets of the government, which he said brought the trial to try to silence opposition.
"This is a political process because political statements should be debated in the parliament and not here. It is a political process because other politicians belonging to mostly governing parties who spoke about Moroccans are not being prosecuted. It is a political process because your court is being misused for a political liquidation of a politician from the opposition which they cannot beat in the parliament," Wilders said.
Wilders, who won more than a million votes in 2012 and is poised to double that number next March, said that more than 40 percent of Dutch people agree with his call for fewer Moroccans.
He says Moroccans make up a disproportionate number of welfare recipients and criminals in the country, whose 400,000 Moroccans make up about 2 percent of the population.
At a televised event on March 19, 2014, Wilders had asked supporters whether they wanted more or fewer Moroccans. They chanted: "Fewer! Fewer! Fewer!". A smiling Wilders responded, "We'll take care of that." - Copyright Holder: POOL (CAN SELL)
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