The number of negative messages about Moroccan nationals placed on the microblogging service Twitter soared after anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders led supporters in an anti-Moroccan chant in March, according to the internet discrimination monitor MDI.

In the period January 1 to March 19, researchers recorded 1,717 tweets which were negative about Moroccan nationals. Between the chanting on March 19 and May 19 the total soared to almost 60,000.

Two MPs, MEPs and a handful of local and provincial councillors broke ties with the PVV after Wilders asked his supporters in The Hague ‘and do you want more or fewer Moroccans in your city and in the Netherlands?’ To which the crowd chanted ‘fewer, fewer, fewer’.

‘We’ll arrange that,’ Wilders said when the chanting died down.

‘Insults, swearing, threats and discrimination have become the norm’ on the internet, the MDI said in its report.