Dutch anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders found guilty of hate speech

Dutch politician Geert Wilders has been found guilty of hate speech for leading a chant against Moroccans in a 2014 campaign rally.

Attendees at the rally chanted they wanted "Fewer! Fewer! Fewer!" Moroccans in the Netherlands. A smiling Wilders concluded: "we're going to take care of that."

Geert Wilders, pictured in June, was found guilty of discrimination and inciting hatred.Credit: Bloomberg

A court in Amsterdam found the right-wing populist, who is anti-Islam, guilty on charges of discrimination and inciting hatred in a speech that it said abused the boundaries of free speech.

However, Wilders will not face a penalty for the ruling and he will be able to keep his role as a member of the Dutch parliament.

Wilders did not attend court on Friday. He has said he would ignore the ruling, in a trial he claims is politically motivated.

Shortly after the verdict was announced, Wilders branded it "madness".

"Three PVV-hating judges declare that Moroccans are a race and convict me and half of the Netherlands," he wrote.

His far-right Party for Freedom took a lead in the polls shortly after the trial began.

The Netherlands is holding parliamentary elections in 2017.

DPA, Reuters