A number of Dutch Muslims have made a formal police complaint about BBB parliamentarian Mona Keijzer for telling a talk show that “the hatred of Jews is almost part of Islamic culture”.

The complainants argue that Keijzer, considered by some to be a candidate for the prime ministerial role in the new, right-wing cabinet, is promoting hatred, violence and discrimination against Muslims with her comments. 

Keijzer made the statement last week during an appearance on the Sophie & Jeroen talk show as part of a discussion on the coalition agreement. The plan envisages including lessons about the Holocaust during the compulsory integration course that non-EU arrivals in the Netherlands have to take. 

“You see that many asylum migrants come from countries where the religion is Islamic,” she said. “We know that the hatred of Jews is almost part of the culture there.”

Her comments were criticised by others at the table, including Jewish writer Arnon Grunberg, who pointed out that the Holocaust was driven by other Europeans. She also then apologised if people had misunderstood her original comment.

Nevertheless, the incident is hurtful and worrying,” said Kasim Tekin, who is behind the complaint. “She says we are anti-Semitic while history, including the Holocaust, shows Jews never had to fear Muslims… this sort of vote-catching is preparing the Netherlands for more laws which will affect Muslims in particular.”