Muslims meet Deputy PM after right wing protest

Deputy Prime Minister Lodewijk Asscher together with the Contact Committee for Muslims (CMO) visited the Alhijra Mosque in Leiden yesterday. Over the weekend the new building of the mosque, which is still under construction, was occupied by a number of protesters carrying banners with anti-Islam slogans. "I understand the fears of the Muslim community. The fear of what is behind this, the call for intolerance done with this action. That goes beyond the six extremists that climbed that building with a banner." Minister Asscher said. The meeting was attended by the mosque's board and imam as well as Leiden Mayor Henri Lenferink and representatives of other mosques in the region. The minister continued that the government can not continuously monitor every mosque, synagogue or church, but that places of worship can rely on extra protection if needed. "Such actions of extremists demand of society that we continue to meet, that we keep talking to each other. Fortunately the vast majority of people see that the special thing about this country is that everyone is free to believe in a god, or not to. And that freedom stands or falls with the acceptance of each other's choices in it." the minister said.