Former PVV-er returns with anti-gay, pro-Islam party

A former PVV politician from The Hague who once helped produce a film depicting Islam as evil and extreme, Arnoud van Doorn sings a totally different tune these days.

In an interview with Algemeen Dagblad last week, he said that since quitting the anti-Islam party, he has now actually converted to the religion and started his own Islamic Party for Unity, with which he is contending for three seats during the municipal elections on March 19. His party is against the anti-Muslim atmosphere in The Hague and also against the pro-homosexuality tendencies. “They promote homosexuality. You don’t have to go out and promote how fantastic that lifestyle is,” he said about how much focus there is in the manifestos of GroenLinks, D66 and PvdA for equality for gays. Personally he would rather see an end to the municipal support for promotional campaigns and gay-events like Pink Saturday. When AD asked him if what he thinks about two gays walking hand in hand in the city, he didn’t have an answer ready. “Let’s just say that people should be reserved about the affection they show each other in public. Don’t provoke with it. Keep your private life private,” he said. He explained that he does not discriminate gays. “We are against discrimination of gays as people. But we reject homosexual actions,” he said, adding that this comes from the Islamic ideologies his party is founded on. “He stressed that his party should not be considered a “Muslim party”, but rather as a party with a Muslim ideology. “Our standpoints are based on the Islam. We come up for minorities and the welfare of animals,” he said. "He explained that the intention is to represent the city’s Muslim community. “In a city with 100,000 to 150,000 Muslims, it is no more than logical that they also have political representation. A large part of our followers is Muslim, so of course we also come up for them,” he said. "He asserted that PVV and the media help spur the fear that people have of Muslims. “That fear is created. PVV is doing it and the media are not very positive about Muslims either. And a government department like AIVD has interest in keeping the Muslims in a bad daylight. That’s how this department justifies its existence, because it is under political pressure to show results,” he said, adding that AIVD is also placing too much emphasis on the jihadists who returned after taking part in the fighting in Syria. "“Not all of them are dangerous. I know several of the guys who came back and yes, they are disillusioned, but they are not dangerous,” he said. He added that no one should judge the people who have been to Syria. “During the summer recess I am heading there as well, together with six to eight other people. We’re going to help in the refugee camps in Tunisia and Jordan. I would rather go to Syria, but that is bound to become a problem when I come back to the Netherlands,” he said. Van Doorn wants to lay claim on two city council seats during the March 19 elections.