Insulting Muslims and other religions should also be prosecuted!

By sandra | September 16, 2009 9:29 AM

I didn't know that Jews have the upper hand in Holland too. When you insult sombody's creator, be it Jesus, Allah, Mohammed or whatever! it is freedom of speech. But when you insult a jew, it is punishable by law.
What a hypocrite world we live in!
Michael
If belivers, especially muslims,rename their God's name to Jew, this law will definately change. 'Justice' prevails.lol

By Michael | September 16, 2009 9:55 AM

I believe you should be allowed to criticize religion, but you should NOT be allowed to wish people death.
This, in my opinion, exceeds the freedom of speech.

By Michal | September 16, 2009 10:07 AM

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me...HA!
Insulting and being insulted is a human trait.

By stevie | September 16, 2009 11:17 AM

There are limits on Freedom of Speech.

I do wish the twits who excuse everything as freedom of speech would learn a little more about the law before they spouted off.

Freedom of speech is not an excuse for racist speech, or for inciting racial hatred. In most countries it is limited in law, and even the UN Universal Declaration on Human Rights includes rights that would necessarily limit the right of freedom of speech.

This is a good decision by the courts. Now lets hope they are consistent when Mr. Wilders stands before them.

By Louise | September 16, 2009 11:18 AM

Sandra & Michael: it's not about insulting the Jewish religion... it's about disrespecting the six million plus Jews who were murdered, most of them in the gas chambers here in Europe. Surely you can understand that.

By Buzzer | September 16, 2009 11:37 AM

Chewin' tobacco...spit on the wall....come on Wilders,get that ball.

By Ralf | September 16, 2009 11:39 AM

You are wrong Michael: God does not exist (any proof of the contrary?) therefore cannot be insulted, you can say "Fvck God" as much as you would like to say: "Fvck the Flying Spaghetti Monster". On the contrary, Jews are people, and they exists, though they believe in what I regard as a superstition, but that doesn't matter.
Therefore cannot be insulted. Insult God as much as you want, leave alone the people who believe in it. Funny, isn't it?

By carlo | September 16, 2009 11:42 AM

Well i can accept the court's decision and i believe it is fair, but the same mode of action should be taken when other nations or religions are insulted also.

By kos | September 16, 2009 11:59 AM

Michael, the chant says nothing about anyones God, it's about putting people...in a gas chamber. I can think of approximately six million reasons why that should be illegal.

By Sheldon | September 16, 2009 12:10 PM

Michael, Like the man said in court: 'Chanting Hamas, Hamas, Jews to the gas...' is not insulting Jews or religion. He was using racism in order to 'provoke'. In other words, 'incite violence'. So that's okay?

By Michael Dawkes | September 16, 2009 12:28 PM

Michael, it would be great if it was so simple.

I support any bans and punishment of anti-religious, racial or cultural insults and should point out that I am a Muslim.

A factor, that should be understood though, is that being Jewish is recognised as both a race and religion and that is techically why there are more identifiable laws on that subject. Add to that the collective European guilt for the holocaust, the subject is extra sensitive.

Sixty years on, that last factor should be with all respect over, but the concentration should be on the collective bigotry that has grown and expanded due to the growth of extreme right (and left) of politics and the introduction of outside (and unwelcome) hatreds via immigration.

Time for a new morale standard.

By Solkhar | September 16, 2009 12:57 PM

Well, Michael, Actually Allah is is used by Arabic-speakers of all Abrahamic faiths, including Christians and Jews,,
Allah means the Sole and Cognates of the name "Allāh" exist in other Semitic languages, including Hebrew and Aramaic

By zoser | September 16, 2009 1:14 PM

To criticize is one thing, but insult is another thing. The statement in this news is an insult for sure and should be condemned! But what about insulting God( whatever religion you follow)? That can't be called freedom of speech.
cheers

By Mid | September 16, 2009 3:15 PM

Perhaps Michael and others are not aware that those who statements against Islam or Muslims are already being prosecuted, and that this was long overdue, given that everyone has long been allowed to curse Jews with impunity, but not (heaven forbid) to say a single negative word about Muslims or Islam.

That said, I fear for the future when the courts begin getting involved in prosecuting people for what they say, and not for what they do.

By abigail | September 16, 2009 6:41 PM

What constitutes ‘insult’ is in the eye of the beholder and impossible to legislate against without severely curtailing the freedom of speech. Criticism of believers (and non-believers!) is part of our freedom of speech. Wishing the holocaust on any (racial) group is not an insult or criticism, it is a call for homicide; it must be a punishable offence.

By Holger | September 16, 2009 6:57 PM

I abhor all religions, especially the three Abrahamic ones. If you really want to insult a person's religion, insult God directly and see what happens!

By stevie | September 16, 2009 8:24 PM

Here we go again: Christians against Jews, Islam against Muslim, VS against Osama bin Laden, Non Communist against Communist, Catholics against Protestant, Religious against Atheist, what is this World gonna do???

By M. Riddering | September 16, 2009 9:44 PM

Hate-filled Islamophobia goes hand in hand with hate-filled anti-Semitic rhetoric and both should be prosecuted equally, no excuses for any special group of people. There has been incidents in Germany of Islamphobic attacks and even a murder of an innocent women because she dared to take a man to court over his discriminatory comments. http://womenfightingforwomen.blogspot.com/2009/07/murdered-in-germany-for-being-muslim.html

By sandra | September 17, 2009 6:18 AM

This chant isn't just insulting. It appears to be hate speech. It's the difference between writing an article criticizing a certain aspect of Christianity, or posting a cartoon of Allah - versus chanting "Kill the Muslims". The High Court's words were not well chosen, in my opinion.

By Oren | September 17, 2009 7:44 AM

this is compeletly wrong to insult people belief, or even race, it is rude. it is not freedom. i think we confused by the meaning of this word. freedom means you can protect your right and more to discuss things politly without any insult. i disagree with what being said by that football fans. MY QUESTION IS WHY LOW IS NOT THE SAME FOR EVERY SINGLE RELIGION OR BELIEF. it is obvious that JEWS treated diffrently in the world. we shouldn't forget the ISRALISE government which represent the jews attacked people in GAZA with gas just few moths ago!!! the kARTOON OF MOHAMAD, AND THE ENGLISH WRITER WHO DENIED THE HOLOCOST WAS JAILED. George bush killed nearlly one million iraqis and walked free. there is no feair in this world and we should accept that. because of selfishness of some people they think they are better then the others. everone in the world should treated equally no matter what religion or colour of skin he/she got.

By sam | September 17, 2009 8:42 AM

It's pathetic that so many do not recognize the difference of this chant compared to other instances people call "hate speech". This chant revels in the murderous genocide of a mere 65 years ago!This is not "religious hatred" (Hitler and the Nazis cared less if the Jewsish people they slaughtered were "observant" Just being Jewish meant a death sentence. People chanting this should be jailed!

By bet | September 18, 2009 10:54 PM

It's just sad

By C Brown | September 20, 2009 3:53 PM