VVD: Block "hate imams" from entering Netherlands

Ruling political party VVD wants to have a blacklist set up to prevent so-called hate imams, preachers who incite hatred or violence, from preaching in the Netherlands. The majority of the Tweede Kamer, lower house of parliament, supports this notion, RTL Nieuws reports. "Not a week goes by that there isn't a mayor sitting with hands in his hair. This must stop. We must be much more proactive when it comes to ministers that we really do not want in the Netherlands", VVD parliamentarian Ockje Tellegen said to RTL. The National Coordinator for Counter-terrorism is already working on an alert list, but this list mostly focuses on revoking visas from outside Europe. The VVD wants a list that also includes hate imams that are already within the European Union's borders or the Schengen area. Once the Dutch list is ready, the government should also ensure that such a list be set up at a European level, according to the party. There has been quite an uproar in the Netherlands regarding controversial Islamic preachers over the past few months. Islamic conferences and events in, among others, Rijswijk, Eindhoven and Utrecht have been cancelled due to the invited preachers being seen as controversial.