Cabinet announces that three "extremist speakers" will be denied entry into the country

Three “extremist speakers” who were to be guests at an event in Utrecht this weekend, will not be granted entry into the country. The Minister of Justice and Security, David van Weel, and Minister of Asylum and Migration, Marjolein Faber, have decided to deny the three entry into the Netherlands, they said in a statement.

The Cabinet’s reason for banning these foreign Islamic speakers was “reprehensible comments” that they made in the past about women and homosexuals. They also "trivialized" sex with minors, and one of them denied Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

“These comments can contribute to a climate of hate, hostility, and glorification of violence,” said the ministers. Their arrival to the Jaarbeurs next weekend is “unwanted” for this reason. A majority in the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament, had called on the Cabinet to deny them entry into the country a week ago.

"Freedom of speech is a great asset,” said Van Weel and Faber in the statement. "There may be some friction here, but it must be within the democratic values ​​that we have agreed upon. There is absolutely no place in the Netherlands for sowing hatred and condoning violence and terrorism."

Utrecht’s mayor, Sharon Dijksma, also said it was “highly undesirable” that these speakers, who are from the United Kingdom and Australia, would be given a platform in her city. But she was only able to stop their arrival if there were indications that this would lead to disorder. This was not the case.