Dutch Far-Right Politician Wins Appeal Against Ban from UK

Dutch far-right politician Geert Wilders has won his appeal against a ban on him entering the U.K., imposed due to his outspoken views on Islam. Wilders wrote the film Fitna, which says the Koran advocated extreme violence.

Mr Wilders, who faces prosecution in the Netherlands for inciting hatred and discrimination, tried to enter the U.K. in February with the intention of showing his film Fitna in the House of Lords. He was refused entry at London's Heathrow airport, having been told at the beginning of the year by the then Home Secretary Jacqui Smith that he would not be allowed to enter the U.K. because he posed a potential threat to "community harmony and therefore public safety". As Reuters reports Fitna makes comparisons between Islam and Nazism and is said to urge Muslims to tear out verses of the Koran that are described as "hate-filled". The film was shown at the U.S. Capitol building in February after Mr Wilders accepted an invitation from Republican Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona. According to BNET a report at the time by the Iran Times International quoted Ryan Patmintra, a spokesman for Senator Kyl, as saying of the criticism the Dutch politician was receiving for his 17-minute film:

All too often, people who have the courage to point out the dangers of militant Islamists find themselves vilified and endangered

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon had previously offered his opinion of the film, calling it "offensively anti-Islamic". Despite his fierce opposition to Islam as a religion Mr Wilders, leader of the Netherlands' Freedom Party, has reportedly said that he does not hate Muslims. The Independent says that in response to accusations that his views are a form of extremism Mr Wilders has declared:

I am not an extremist. I am nothing like that at all

And now Mr Wilders, a member of the Dutch House of Representatives, will be able to deliver his message in the U.K. if he wishes after the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal overturned the ban imposed by the U.K. government. However with the Home Office in the U.K., which has expressed its disappointment at the lifting of the ban, said to be seriously considering an appeal against the tribunal's decision, Mr Wilders could find his entry ban back in effect very shortly. The ban would then remain in place until the appeal is heard. Having said in February that his ban from the U.K was a "very sad day" for democracy Mr Wilders, who has indicated that he plans to visit the U.K. as soon as possible, gave the following reaction to today's decision by the Tribunal:

I am very happy that the court in London decided to overrule the decision of the UK government not to allow me to enter the UK. It is not only a victory for me but for the freedom of speech.

The UK government should stand strong behind the concept of the freedom of speech. They did not do that. Fortunately for me and for the freedom of speech the court was more clever and decided in the right direction

Following the announcement of the ban on Mr Wilders, Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen protested to the U.K. government, expressing his unhappiness at a member of his country's parliament being refused entry to another EU country.