A campaigner for a fringe republican party in Amsterdam is back in court on Monday for stating during a political meeting that he wanted to see fewer gay men and women in the capital.

Delano Felter, of the Republikeinse Moderne Partij, has been found not guilty of inciting hatred and discrimination at several court hearings already but now the case has been referred back to the appeal court for a new ruling.

The comments were made by Felter in 2010 during an election meeting and were recorded by local broadcaster AT5. ‘The homosexual is becoming too dominant,’ Felter is quoted as saying by the Telegraaf.

‘We have to deal with a very aggressive homosexual group here. They have to go. People of a different sexual persuasion should bugger off. We want a heterosexual city.’

Rulings

So far, lower courts have ruled that Felter’s comments were not directed at all gay people. This meant Felter was not insulting or discriminating against all gay people and had therefore not committed a criminal act.

In addition, European law allows a large amount of leeway during political debate and for politicians to make ‘insulting, shocking or uneasy’ statements to make a point, lower court judges said.

However, High Court judges said in December 2014 that the case should be referred back to the appeal court for a new hearing. That will now take place on Monday.

Legal experts told RTL that the case could be significant for the trial of anti-Islam campaigner Geert Wilders, who goes on trial this spring charged with inciting hatred and discrimination for leading his supporters in an anti-Moroccan chant.

Wilders has said his comments targeted a specific group of ‘Moroccan criminals’.