Nadine Osman
The Mayor of Utrecht city in the Netherlands shut down an anti-Muslim demonstration October 5 by a far-right political movement in front of Ulu Mosque.
During the demonstration, members of the Patriotic Europeans Against Islamisation of the West (PEGIDA) made speeches insulting Islam.
A brawl broke out between 150 Pegida members and residents after the speeches and one university student was injured.
Jan van Zanen ordered the demonstration to be shut down for security reasons an hour after it began.
Yucel Aydemir, President of the Ulu Mosque Foundation, said that anti-Islam statements by Pegida members led to the provocation of a group of Muslims and a brawl broke out.
“I have been living here for 38 years, and this is the first time I have experienced such an incident,” Aydemir added.
“On the advice of the police and municipality, the Mayor then decided to cancel the demonstration, to prevent further disorder,” said a spokesman for municipality.
