Banner insulting Prophet Muhammad placed at Hague mosque

A banner with insulting text about the Prophet Muhammad was placed at the As-Soennah mosque in The Hague on Sunday morning. Anti-Islam movement Pegida is responsible for the the action, a spokesperson for the movement confirmed to NOS on Sunday afternoon.

Translated from Dutch, the banner read: "Prophet Muhammad children fucker". The banner was accompanied by a mannequin wearing a beard, a robe, a turban, and carrying a baby doll. The mannequin was supposed to show Muhammad "having sex with a baby", Abdelhamid Taheri, an employee of the mosque, said to NOS.

According to Taheri, surveillance camera footage shows that the items were placed at around 5:15 a.m. on Sunday. At that time there were already people inside the mosque for the morning prayer, he said. Many people saw the banner and mannequin after morning prayer. "Then panic broke out. People were so shocked."

A spokesperson for Pegida told NOS that the organization is responsible for the action. Pegida is angry that requests to demonstrate at mosques in The Hague are always rejected. "We are only allowed kilometers away. We do not accept that. We have the basic right to demonstrate, just like others have the basic right to exercise their faith." The spokesperson stressed that the banner and mannequin were placed in front of the mosque, not touching it. "Nothing was attached to the mosque. It is all on public road."

The Hague mayor Pauline Krikke took note of the incident with disgust. "In The Hague we have the right to disagree with each other, but within the framework of the law and with respect for each other's ideals, without unnecessarily hurting each other."

The police are investigating.