Hague Council Declares Ban on Building New Mosques Discriminatory

The Hague council on Thursday rejected a Freedom Party proposal to ban the construction of new mosques in the city.

All parties fiercely rejected the proposal which they branded as discriminatory because the Freedom Party is not opposed to the construction of new places of worship of other religions.

Green Left leader Inge Vianen said “They are guilty of discrimination when they suggest that the council should assist all religious people in finding a suitable place of worship except Muslims.” The Green Left politician added that "the fact that this type of statement is increasingly considered normal, does nothing to change that.”

The local party Islam Democrats said it felt discriminated against and the Hague City Party (HSP) spoke of a “provocation, pure and simple.”

Alderman Marnix Norder (Diversity) called the Freedom Party proposal “completely unacceptable.” The Freedom Party proposal was prompted by a letter from the Mayor and aldermen proposing an expansion of the number of places of worship in The Hague in the coming 10 years.