Pepijn van Houwelingen appears in court over a ‘meme' about members of the government

FVD MP Pepijn van Houwelingen had to appear in court for posting a meme (an internet word for a funny or mocking image) about former government officials, Karien van Gennip and Ernst Kuipers.

In the post, the FVD MP made a comparison about the totalitarian agenda behind the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the policy goals which the two members of government strongly supported. Van Gennip and Kuipers felt insulted by this and filed charges. The report was deemed te be well founded, and thus Van Houwelingen had to appear in court.

“The judiciary has had enough”

This is not the first time an FVD MP has been charged. Last Friday, Thierry Baudet was interrogated at the police station in response to two campaign videos posted on social media during the campaign for the Lower House elections in November. MP Gideon van Meijeren is being prosecuted for his calls for nonviolent and peaceful resistance during the Covid period and the Dutch Farmers’ protests.

The judiciary, the Algemeen Dagblad writes, has had enough. Forum for Democracy supposedly does not play politics, but stirs up discontent in society. The public prosecutor is therefore demanding a fine of 450 euros against Van Houwelingen.

Opposition party silenced

This is the third time in one year that an FVD MP, a politician of the opposition, has had to appear in court simply for his expressions on social media or elsewhere in society. It is a development you would expect in unfree countries like Turkey or China.

When the courts start judging our way of doing politics, freedom of speech is in grave danger. When we are no longer allowed to express our opinions in the way we deem necessary or justified, but are persecuted for fierce criticism of immigration and the woke movement, it is an attack on our free and open society. We should fight each other in debate, with words and arguments. Not in court.

Stand up for free speech!

It starts with prominent opinion makers and politicians, but we do not know where this will end. We must draw a line here. Otherwise, certain opinions and expressions will soon no longer be allowed in our country.

This is the time to stand up for your rights. For your own opinions! Join our movement and support our political struggle.