House of Lords cancels Fitna screening

FitnaThe British Parliament has cancelled the showing of a controversial film “Fitna” by the right‑wing Dutch MP Geert Wilders following vociferous protest by the Muslim community.

The screening was to take place on January 29 at the House of Lords.The decision to cancel the showing was taken on Friday when Lord Nazir Ahmed had a meeting with the Government Chief Whip of the House of Lords and Leader of the House of Lords, together with representatives from the Muslim Council of Britain, British Muslim Forum and other representatives from the British Muslim community.

As a result of the meeting at the House of Lords not going ahead, all protests and demonstrations have now been cancelled Lord Ahmed termed the decision as “a victory for the Muslim community.”

Associated Press of Pakistan, 23 January 2009


Meanwhile, over at the Jerusalem Post, Caroline Glick joins Mad Mel in defending Wilders against the decision to prosecute him in the Netherlands for inciting hatred:

“The ripple effects of Wilders’ indictment were immediately evident. In England, the British Muslim community mobilized to prevent his film from being screened in public. ‘Fitna’ was scheduled to be shown at the House of Lords on January 29. But last Friday, with the threat of mass Muslim riots hanging thickly in the air, the House of Lords announced that it was cancelling the event. British Lord Nazir Ahmed called the decision to prevent the thought-provoking, factually accurate film from being shown, ‘a victory for the Muslim community’.”