The judge ruling on the preliminary injunction adjusted the area ban that Arnhem Mayor Ahmed Marcouch imposed on Pegida leader Edwin Wagensveld. The ban is now valid until April 10. The original area ban would have prevented Wagensveld from stepping foot in Arnhem for six months.Wagensveld wanted the area ban to be suspended. Marcouch was open to reducing the ban to three months but the injunction judge ruled that the ban is a drastic measure that should last as short as possible. Three weeks from the date that the ban started is reasonable, according to her.
Arnhem Mayor Ahmed Marcouch is calling on national lawmakers to ban the public desecration of religious and philosophical symbols and books, saying the restriction on free expression is necessary to preserve the democratic rule of law in the Netherlands. The ban should be implemented to prevent people from using such actions to deliberately provoke a violent response, he argued.
Arnhem Mayor Ahmed Marcouch plans to firmly press national politicians for a national ban on Quran burnings. He thinks such a burning is “a poisonous act that leads to others being provoked,” he said on Wednesday during a City Council debate. He was speaking about the attempt by Pegida leader Edwin Wagensveld to burn a Quran on January 13 in Arnhem, a protest which got out of control. Marcouch warned on Wednesday evening against “toxic polarization” and said he advocates more respect for each other’s opinions and views.
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