Dutch Anti-Islam Politician Wilders Acquitted of Inciting Discrimination

Dutch Anti-Islam Politician Wilders Acquitted of Inciting Discrimination
Dutch politician Geert Wilders leaves the court following the verdict in his appeal in Schiphol near Amsterdam, on Sept. 4, 2020. Piroschka van de Wouw/Reuters
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AMSTERDAM—Dutch politician Geert Wilders was acquitted by an appeals court on Friday of discrimination, in a partial legal victory for the right-wing lawmaker who leads the opposition in parliament and who is known for his anti-Islam rhetoric.

The panel agreed with a lower court ruling from 2016 that dismissed the separate offense of inciting hatred and rejected a prosecution request that Wilders pay a fine of 5,000 euros ($5,900). However, it upheld his conviction for intentionally insulting Moroccans as a group.