Domestic
The Amsterdam police take strict security measures at the Press Freedom Lecture by Kurt Westergaard. The 80-year-old Danish cartoonist, known for his picture of the Prophet Muhammad with a bomb in his turban, speaks tonight in the debate center De Balie in Amsterdam during the Festival of Free Speech.
The arrival of the cartoonist, invited to the attacks of Charlie Hebdo, caused quite a stir at the organizers of the festival. Writer PEN Organization decided last Thursday to step out of the organization, reports TV show Nieuwsuur . Reason for board member Maartje van Duin to step down.
“I thought it was not digest that we were a few months ago with raised pencils on Dam Square after the attack on Charlie Hebdo and we now withdraw from this event. “
‘Never seen so many security’
Since the publication of the cartoon in 2005 in the Danish newspaper Jyllands- Posten is threatened Westergaard. Thus, the Danish police was in 2010 narrowly foiling an attack on him. For safety reasons, the arrival of Westergaard to Amsterdam was announced until today. All tickets for the festival are sold out and all participants are screened beforehand. No one will be admitted. Inside the desk was as director Yuri Albrecht never seen so many security guard, he tells to ANP.
“With the advent of Westergaard we have been months now “
The security measures are discussed in a meeting between the desk and the security mayor, the chief public prosecutor and chief of police. A spokesman for the Amsterdam police to let NRC do not know “any comment” to give about these reports.
Self-censorship
According to Albrecht is the buyers a free ticket to refrain from visiting the Press Freedom Lecture. In that case, they get their money back.
“Visitors need to know where they are to happen, because the arrival of Westergaard is increase risk. It’s everyone’s own choice “
RSVP, the director of De Balie yet received,” or positive reactions. ” According to Albrecht is more than ever the freedom of expression under pressure and is therefore very pleased with the speech of Westergaard. The Danish cartoonist shows in an interview with the Parool that journalists have become more cautious by the attacks in Paris by the editors of Charlie Hebdo and the attack in Copenhagen during a meeting on freedom of expression.
“Journalists, as well as writers and artists to self-censorship. They make safe choices “
During the festival, the Amsterdam burg more star Eberhard van der Laan in conversation with Yoeri Albrecht about the limits of free speech, a satirical talk show including cartoonist Ruben L. Oppenheimer, comedian Hans Teeuwen gives a show and NRC-correspondent Judith Spiegel interviewed about her kidnapping in Yemen. There are also debates about press freedom in Turkey and Egypt.
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