Dutch parliament wants to follow U.S. example and label Antifa a terrorist organization

A majority in the lower house of the Dutch parliament wants the Netherlands to follow the United States’ lead and designate the far-left Antifa movement as a terrorist organization. A motion to that effect by Lidewij de Vos (FvD), Caroline van der Plas (BBB), and Geert Wilders (PVV) was passed with the support of the VVD, SGP, and JA21.

American president Donald Trump designated the anti-fascist Antifa movement a terrorist organization on Thursday. He cited the recent murder of radical right-wing opinion leader Charlie Kirk as a direct cause, although the U.S. authorities have not yet linked the attack to any political groups.

The motion’s sponsors argue “that Aintifa cells are also active in our country, threatening politicians, disrupting meetings, intimidating students and journalists, and not shying away from using violence.”

According to the anti-terrorism agency NCTV, “organized left-wing extremism in the Netherlands is fragmented, small in number, and diverse in ideology.”

Volt leader Laurens Dassen is surprised by the speed and ease with which a parliamentary majority is following the example of the American president. “With the support of the VVD, even here, unwelcome opinions are now being banned with a stroke of the pen,” he said on BlueSky.