Islam not mentioned in Wilders’ English cash appeal
The anti-immigration MP Geert Wilders has published a request for political donations from international supporters but does not mention his controversial stance on immigration or Islam in the English-language version.
Wilders, who plans to release his short anti-Islam film Fitna before April 1, placed the appeal for cash on his private website www.geertwilders.nl, rather than on the website of his party, the PVV (Partij voor de Vrijheid/Freedom Party).
In the Dutch version, Wilders says that he is involved in ‘a battle against the Islamisation of the Netherlands and mass immigration’ and points out that six out of 10 Dutch people think large-scale immigration is ‘the biggest mistake in our history’.
In his English-language appeal, however, Wilders asks his ‘international friends’ for support in ‘a battle for the survival of freedom’. The words Islam and immigration do not appear, nor does he mention his film.
Wilders also says, in English, that the PVV is the only Dutch political party to ‘refuse’ government subsidies. In the Dutch version, this is toned down to state simply that the party does not get a subsidy and is totally dependent on ‘freedom-loving citizens’.
According to the NRC last April, the PVV does receive over €1m to fund its parliamentary operation but is not entitled to extra subsidies based on membership numbers because there is only one official member – Geert Wilders. Instead the party is funded by anonymous donations through a charitable foundation.
The Dutch Islamic federation NIF is to go to court in Rotterdam on Friday to ask for an injunction against the release of Wilders’ film.
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