Wilders stabs party leaders in back after signing asylum letter

PVV leader Geert Wilders has announced that he will be in Rotterdam on November 7th to protest against the asylum center planned for Beverwaard. This announcement came just one day after he co-signed a letter with the other party leaders in parliament asking citizens to keep a cool head in the asylum debate. "The Netherlands must move forward in opposition to all those fearful and cowardly politicians from the VVD to GroenLinks and SP, who do not dare to close the borders. We also want to support the residents of PVV-city Rotterdam against the reception of even more asylum seekers." Wilders said, according to newspaper AD. On Tuesday almost all the party leaders in the Tweede Kamer, including Wilders, signed a letter calling on voters to show more mutual understanding and tolerance during the asylum debate. "Do not confuse threats and insults with arguments", the letter reads King Willem-Alexander also expressed his concern about the atmosphere in the refugee debate during a meeting with the press in Shanghai, where he is currently on state visit. In the Netherlands we talk things out, not fight them out, the King said. He added that the intimidation and threats being uttered are corroding the values the Netherlands stands for. Despite the Dutch leaders' attempts to calm the situation, Wilders has now announced that he and a few other party members, including parliamentarian Sietse Fritsma, will be handing out leaflets in Rotterdam from noon on Saturday, November 7th. This will be done during the market on Binnenrotte, close to the Martkhal. The municipality of Rotterdam is preparing to shelter up to 600 refugees at the former site of baseball club Sparta/Feyenoord in Beverwaard. Many residents are strongly opposed to Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb's decision to do so. On Tuesday Wilders made clear that he does not intend moderate his tone towards the reception of asylum seekers, even after a GroenLinks council member in Wormerland had his two cars go up in flames. Broadcaster NOS asked the PVV leader whether the arson can not be seen as an indication that he should moderate his tone as to not give people the wrong ideas. Wilders responded: "I understand that this question is present with the NOS editors, but not with normal people with commons sense, because we said from the start 'come in opposition, but never violently, but in a democratic, non-violent manner'."