LONDON – Far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders sparked angry scenes outside the British parliament yesterday after claiming Islamism and democracy were “incompatible”.
The controversial Dutch politician visited London in order to show his anti-Islamic film, Fitna, at the House of Lords.
Around 200 members of the self-styled “counter-jihad” English Defence League (EDL) marched down Millbank in support of Mr Wilders. Counter-demonstrators chanted “Nazi scum, off our streets” as the EDL supporters gathered outside parliament, but the two groups were kept apart by police. A police spokesman said approximately 50 people, mostly taking part in the counter-protest, were arrested.
EDL members, some of them carrying English flags, chanted: “No surrender to the Taliban.”
Mr Wilders said: “Islamism and democracy are incompatible. The more Islamism we have, the more freedom we will lose, and this is something worth fighting for.”
He also called for an end to immigration to Europe from Islamic countries, but said Muslims who agreed to obey the law of the land would be welcome to stay.
Mr Wilders’s Freedom Party is expected to do well in the forthcoming Dutch general election.
Last year it came second in the country’s European elections, and recently topped the poll in local elections in the city of Almere.
Mr Wilders attempted to enter the UK last February but was ordered back to the Netherlands three hours later. He was then allowed to enter last October.
Mr Wilders’s press conference yesterday was also attended by UK Independence Party leader Lord Pearson and crossbencher Baroness Cox, who invited Mr Wilders to show his film. – (PA)