Germany: Wilders "not welcome" in German town
Dutch news quotes Ritter as follows: "Whoever, like Wilders, burdens the Dutch integration debate with right-wing populsim, and whoever wants to ban the Koran in comparison to 'Mein Kampf', is not welcome in Monschau."
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The Dutch anti-Islam populist Geert Wilders has been told he is "not welcome" in the the western German town of Monschau after he spent the weekend in the Eifel region.
The parliamentarian and leader of the far-right Party for Freedom, along with several armed bodyguards, stayed from Saturday afternoon until Sunday morning in the town, according to police in the city of Aachen.
Wilders, who promotes a strongly anti-immigration and anti-Muslim platform, has called for the Koran to be banned in the Netherlands, among other incendiary positions. His party recently performed strongly in council elections.
Monschau Mayor Margareta Ritter said she was concerned that Wilders' presence had tainted her town with the suspicion that it was sympathetic to his views. As a result, Monschau had unfairly been connected with extremism in the European press.
"Of course I care very much if such persons feel comfortable here," she said. "Anyone who pollutes the integration debate in the Netherlands with poisonous right-wing populism as Wilders has, is not welcome in Monschau. I wanted to distinguish Monschau from that."
(more)
Source: The Local (English)
Dutch news quotes Ritter as follows: "Whoever, like Wilders, burdens the Dutch integration debate with right-wing populsim, and whoever wants to ban the Koran in comparison to 'Mein Kampf', is not welcome in Monschau."
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The Dutch anti-Islam populist Geert Wilders has been told he is "not welcome" in the the western German town of Monschau after he spent the weekend in the Eifel region.
The parliamentarian and leader of the far-right Party for Freedom, along with several armed bodyguards, stayed from Saturday afternoon until Sunday morning in the town, according to police in the city of Aachen.
Wilders, who promotes a strongly anti-immigration and anti-Muslim platform, has called for the Koran to be banned in the Netherlands, among other incendiary positions. His party recently performed strongly in council elections.
Monschau Mayor Margareta Ritter said she was concerned that Wilders' presence had tainted her town with the suspicion that it was sympathetic to his views. As a result, Monschau had unfairly been connected with extremism in the European press.
"Of course I care very much if such persons feel comfortable here," she said. "Anyone who pollutes the integration debate in the Netherlands with poisonous right-wing populism as Wilders has, is not welcome in Monschau. I wanted to distinguish Monschau from that."
(more)
Source: The Local (English)
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