I wonder when we have suffered this kind of conflicts before the arrival of Wilders. I also wonder what are the advantages of these conflicts and confrontations, for us.

By zenplus | October 25, 2010 1:51 PM

Why should we Amsterdammers have to pay to police a demo by a bunch of English nutcases who are coming over here to 'support' Wilders even though he does not want it?

By shirley | October 25, 2010 2:03 PM

He does really, it will massage his ego.

By Highlander | October 25, 2010 3:45 PM

Shirley your comments disappoint me, our Jewish demo in London yesterday was peaceful. Do you think that the type of people going there are unemployed trouble makers? I don't think so. We supported Mr Wilders in London after he was first refused entry by our dhimmi politicians. This fight is a European one and not just an Netherlands issue. Have you seen the pictures of our demonstration yesterday? Gay Flag, Jewish flags, British flags and American so to call all us nutcases is an insult to out intelligence. Did you think our soldiers that came to your country to rid you of the Nazi's were nutcases, my grandfather included? shame on your comments.

By Andrew | October 25, 2010 4:52 PM

Does no one else see the irony of a bunch of foreigners coming to support Wilders who is bascially anti-foreigner? at the same time he is not 100% Dutch either. what a confused country NL is becoming

By Jen | October 25, 2010 7:08 PM

If Dutch people want to protest either way, then they should be allowed to do so in a civilized manner.

But who needs foreigners coming in to stir up the pot? They should be stopped at the border. Let the English protest in their own country if they feel the need to do so.

By Jim | October 25, 2010 7:10 PM

It would be a mistake to ban the protests on the basis that they fear violence... I don't recall hearing any threats of violence from either side. If the authorities can ban any demonstration by simply saying they fear violence than our rights to freedom of speech and to freedom to demonstrate will be seriously compromised.

By Quince | October 25, 2010 8:13 PM

Turn them back at Schiphol, I say. They have nothing to do with the Netherlands. Their passport isn't a right to go and start trouble in other parts of the world.

I don't want to pay my taxes for police overtime, to make sure the Neo-nazis who are coming to 'support' Wilders don't provoke a fight (an objective they manage achieve at every meeting they organise).

By osita | October 25, 2010 8:17 PM

So Wilders and his bigot party get freedom of speech, but if you want to speak against him better not come to town?

No signs of fascism here folks, move on to your next shopping experience.

By Sam Hall | October 25, 2010 10:44 PM

I propose both of pro and anti Wilders demonstrations to be moved to Almere.

By George | October 25, 2010 11:34 PM

at zenplus:
do you really claim that the on-going restlessness between Dutch and Muslims is only because of Wilders???
tell it to Mr. Van Gogh's family..
i don't support Wilders because he is too theatrical and therefore prevent people to actually LISTEN to what he is warning from.
but i think you should indeed wake up and see that your country is in danger, not of terror (this is only the RESULT, the SYMPTOMS) but from a major change in culture. the advantage of these "conflicts" is that it will make you DEBATE and open your eyes. Europe is sleeping and starts to wake up slowly, hopefully not too slow..

By just a visitor | October 26, 2010 12:37 AM

This is against the law and also against EU rules! They can´t stop us from demonstrating if it is peaceful! I don´t know about any of you, I am going to go and support Mr. Wilders and I am going to go and protest peacefully for the courts to acquit Mr. Wilders, he is innocent!

By SandraV | October 26, 2010 6:38 AM

Lay off of the english people, they have just as much right to protest against Wilders trial as anyone in Europe or outside Europe. So long as the protest is peaceful, nobody should be turned away.

By SandraV | October 26, 2010 10:08 AM

@ SandraV. Each one chooses as co-demonstrators, to those with whom you feel most comfortable and closest.
Who is EDL?
Here is the answer.
(http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8250017.stm)
(http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/English_Defence_League)

By zenplus | October 26, 2010 12:03 PM

@just a visitor. " Europe is sleeping and starts to wake up slowly, hopefully not too slow." Dear 'just a visitor' (I hope not from EDL), surely it is a simple coincidentally, but your statement, is literally written in the book 'Mein Kampf'. Do you know the author?
Concerning to main problem in my country, is well identified. It is called stupidity, that fascism is responsible for transforming into xenophobia.

By zenplus | October 26, 2010 12:20 PM

at just a visitor,

There was no restlessness between Dutch and Muslims because some of these Dutch you refer to are also Muslims and the media sensationalized the topic. If you are talking about extreme elements (Mr Van Gogh's), then why don't you bring up the immigrants recently murdered in Sweden or Russia(not too famous I guess). Stop making a mountain out of an ant hill. If anyone wants to have a dialog, they start by being respectful which Wilders is not. Wake up from what exactly?? Islamisation!!
are you really serious?
Respect for Freedom of speech, fully agree, disrespecting and insulting others as freedom of speech, totally disagree..

By Saladin | October 26, 2010 12:32 PM

To those who say this is a freedom of speech issue, please inform yourself by some internet searching about this group. Their aim is only to pick a fight.

Even Mr Wilders wants to distance himself from them. Their original foundation may have been honourable once, but they have been hijacked by the perpetually-violent who go around provoking fights like the hooligans they were before (which most of them pretended to be football fans in those days).

Freedom of speech isn't a bad thing - until it leads to violence. EDL and many like them use the first as an excuse for the second.

By osita | October 26, 2010 1:01 PM

So all English people are nutter's? Well all Muslims are terrorist? Sounds stupid doesn't it. Think about what your saying. Where is the mention of the Dutch defence league or german. You people don't even have a clue what's going on.

By Martin kirby | October 26, 2010 7:05 PM

@ Andrew, I am Muslim and our Forefather join the U.K army to get rid of Nazi, so what do you say?
This is just a hatred and conflict to gain political fame.

By Mehmood | October 26, 2010 8:43 PM

The English Defence League are a bunch of ignorant, violent thugs, predominately comprised of football hooligans, many of whom even have swastikas tattooed on their chests. They recently did a "demo" in Leicester, (England), where they attacked women, children and random Asian people in the street in what can only be described as a "pogrom"! Of course their demo at the Israeli embassy passed off peacefully, but that's only because the hardcore racists who usually follow them wouldn't be seen dead supporting Israel...but you can guarantee the worst of them will all be on the Museumplein, looking to attack anyone who opposes them or has the "wrong" skin.

By Concerned British Expat | October 26, 2010 10:47 PM

I will demonstrate against the PVV and fascism in NL, but in a very different way. My method is simple: I do not spend my hard money at Dutch owned businesses, no more money from me. Additionally I am responsible for hiring external vendors and suppliers of all types for our business. I will not be hiring or paying any NLer's until we have a more reasonable normal government in place.
In short, the Dutch really understand one thing: commerce and trade. When the money gets cut off things will change here. I encourage all others who are against this clearly discriminatory government to take the same actions. Boycott Dutch businesses!

By Bill | October 27, 2010 7:06 AM

These are just like the footy hooligans, they don't support anyone, they are organised criminals who are paid to attend and cause a disturbance, lock them up and throw away the key!

By Andy | October 27, 2010 4:05 PM

“Without Freedom of thought, there can be no such Thing as Wisdom; and no such thing as public Liberty, without Freedom of speech”...........Speak up against religious fanaticism. Benjamin Franklin

By saccorro | October 27, 2010 7:23 PM

'just a visitor' is right - the danger is to dutch culture. the demographics are the problem - the native ductch are not producing enough children. if something is not done to address this the newcomers children will takeover the country and there goes dutch culture - vanishing into the mists of history. this is wrong and must be prevented.

By plomboro | October 27, 2010 10:37 PM

@Plomboro,
So instead of encouraging "native Dutch" to have more children, you penalize other 'native Dutch"!!?? to hear you say take over the country is like a foreign invasion, although these people are born and bread here and juts happen to adhere to the Islamic faith...One could say the same about Dubai which is overrun by Western expats and Western way of life and culture...!

@saccorro, no one is disputing speaking out against any fanaticism..it is when you tar everyone with the same brush that freedom of speech impedes the freedom to exist as a human being and freedom of worship and security and co-existence and harmony...are you willing to sacrifice all these for this so called "Freedom of Speech"

By Saladin | October 28, 2010 8:27 AM