AMSTERDAM – Dutch anti-Islam firebrand Geert Wilders has confirmed that aProphet Muhammad (PBUH) cartoon contest will be held in his party’s secureoffices in Dutch parliament, after receiving approval for the event fromsecurity officials.The divisive right-wing politician and leader of the country’s largestopposition party, the Freedom Party, took to Twitter on Tuesday to announcethe news.
“Dutch Counter-terrorism Agency NCTV gives green light to Muhammad cartooncontest in secured PVV quarters of Dutch Parliament later this year,”Wilders tweeted, along with a Muhammad cartoon. “So that’s what we’re goingto do and organize! With cartoonist/ex-Muslim Bosch Fawstin! Freedom ofspeech is most important of all!!” he wrote.
The announcement received a decidedly mixed reception from the Twitterati.While some responded with supportive cartoons, others questioned the wisdomof such an event.
“If we know that Muslims are offended by cartoons of the [prophet], whythen do you choose to agitate them even more by doing this kind of ‘stunts’to get attention for your cause. Surely there are more ways to address thisissue?” an apprehensive Twitter user wrote.
Wilders, who has previously called for the Qur’an to be banned in theNetherlands and says Islam is a totalitarian faith, has long planned tohost such a competition – but had previously been prevented from doing so.
He has attended a number of exhibits and events focused on mocking theIslamic prophet – usually billed as free speech events. In 2015, Wilderswas a keynote speaker at a Mohammed cartoon contest in Garland, Texas,where two gunmen were killed after opening fire on a security officer. Helater aired a slideshow on Dutch television of the cartoons from the Texasexhibition – after claiming that he had been barred from exhibiting thecartoons at the parliament.
American cartoonist Bosch Fawstin, the winner of the disastrous contest inTexas, has been asked to judge the Dutch contest.
Critics have accused Wilders of being an unscrupulous provocateur, and itappears that some are already bracing for the inevitable blowback from thecartoon contest.
“Good luck with your competition. I do hope that it won’t become such amess as the one in Garland, Texas,” one Twitter user commented, in responseto Wilders’ announcement.