Groningen Joins Record Complaint Against Wilders Over Discriminatory Post
Post by PVV leader Geert Wilders on X has collected over 12,500 discrimination reports. Groningen’s regional anti-discrimination office is among 19 agencies submitting complaints to police.
Discriminatie.nl Groningen is working alongside the national office and other regional agencies to take legal action against Wilders. His post featured a split image: on the left, a young blonde woman labelled “PVV,” and on the right, an older woman wearing a headscarf labelled “PvdA,” captioned, “The choice is yours on 29/10.”
The image has been widely condemned as polarising and discriminatory, with many comparing it to Nazi propaganda. According to Discriminatie.nl, the unprecedented number of reports shows “a very clear signal from society” about the perceived harm of the post.
Muslim Organisations File Separate Complaints
Earlier the same day, fourteen Muslim advocacy groups also lodged a joint complaint, accusing Wilders of group insult, incitement to hatred and discrimination, and stirring social unrest. Lawyer Adem Çatbas filed the complaint on behalf of organisations including the Report Islamophobia Foundation, Muslim Rights Watch, and the Young Muslims Collective.
The groups argue that the post uses “hate propaganda” and “Nazi imagery” directed at Muslims, further normalising Islamophobia in Dutch society.
Legal Experts See a High Chance of Prosecution
Ashley Terlouw, professor of legal sociology at Radboud University, says the case has a strong legal basis under multiple articles of the Dutch Criminal Code, including the prohibition of group insult and incitement to hatred. She notes that with such a high volume of complaints, the Public Prosecution Service will face public scrutiny if it chooses not to proceed.
Wilders has been convicted before — in 2020 for group insult after his “fewer Moroccans” remarks — but received no punishment.
Wilders Responds, Post Remains Online
Wilders has dismissed the accusations as “madness,” stating, “I fight for freedom and the truth, and I bow to no one.” The AI-generated image remains online and has reached nearly half a million users on X alone. Critics, including former ambassador Ron Keller, have called it “disgusting” and say such imagery should be banned.The Public Prosecution Service is reviewing the case, but no decision on prosecution has yet been announced.
