Judge allows comparing islamisation with rise of nazism

Politician Marco Pastors did not violate the law by comparing the rise of Nazism with the increasing influence of Islam in the Netherlands. The district court in Rotterdam yesterday determined that the comparison he made is not punishable.

In a radio ad, Pastors stated: “The establishment were looking away in the 1930s during the rise of the Nazis. Today, they are not acting against the Islamisation”. The judge considered the comparison very controversial but not unnecessarily hurtful in its political context. Furthermore, Pastors made an implicit, rather than an explicit comparison. All in all, the statement does not exceed the limits of free speech, the judge stated.

Pastors is leader of the EénNL party, which is partaking in Wednesday’s Lower House elections. Islam Democraten, another political party, had instigated legal proceedings because they were offended and considered Pastors was linking the nazi’s with Muslims.

In all probability, the ad will not be on the radio again, because it formed part of a series that changed daily and the campaign has now ended. The disputed ad was only transmitted on 14 November.

Source: NIS News, ANP, 21 November 2006