(Brussels Times) On Wednesday, the Antwerp Court of Appeal ruled that a banner reading “Stop Islamisation” is not racist, as the court could not establish that it was motivated by “racism and xenophobia.”
The judgement was in line with a decision of the Council of State, which also saw no objections to the slogan “Stop Islamisation” a few years ago and therefore overruled a decision of the city of Ghent to prohibit a demonstration, De Standaard reports.
Such a banner is merely a “printed document expressing an opinion,” the court of appeal found, and therefore only a jury of the people can pass judgement.
“A victory for free speech,” Vlaams Belang chairman Tom Van Grieken called it.
