Dozens of hate speech victims seek compensation from Wilders

Dozens of people filed claims for compensation against PVV leader Geert Wilders over statements he made about "fewer Moroccans" in The Hague in 2014, the Public Prosecutor announced on Thursday, ANP reports. The hate speech trial against Wilders is set to start in October, with a pre-trial hearing scheduled form March 18th. He is facing charges of incitement to discrimination and hatred and insulting a group of people. If he is convicted, the court may sentence him to paying compensation. The Public Prosecutor did not comment on the amount of compensation sought. Lawyer and professor Goran Sluiter stated on Thursday that he is representing two organizations and a number of people seeking compensation in this case. Wilders called it "really outrages" that people are demanding compensation from him. The lawsuits revolves around statements Wilders made during campaign visits to The Hague in March 2014. On March 12th of that year the PVV leader paid a visit to Loosduinen and said that The Hague should be "a city with fewer burdens and if possible fewer Moroccans". And then on the eve of the municipal elections, Wilders asked a cafe full of people whether they wanted more or fewer Moroccans, to which they chanted "fewer, fewer, fewer".