Perth hotels warned of risks if they accept Geert Wilders bookings
Australian Hotels Association says protests against the far-right Dutch leader could become ‘problematic’ for venues that host events where he speaks.
The Australian Hotels Association of Western Australia has warned its members about the risk of taking a booking for far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders, who will be in Perth this month for the launch of the anti-Islamic political party Australian Liberty Alliance (ALA).
The association’s chief executive, Bradley Woods, issued the same warning ahead of Wilders’ last Australian speaking tour in 2013.
“Mr Wilders’s political views are likely to attract attention and public protests and these protesters could become problematic,” Woods told Guardian Australia.
Woods said his concerns stemmed from the extra security required for the 2013 visit, which included a police dignitary protection detail as well as the politician’s own private security team. WA police could not confirm whether it had been asked to provide a protection detail for this visit.
“The AHA’s caution to hotels is to ensure the safety of hotel employees and guests in line with facility management best practice,” Woods said.
“The AHA issued a similar caution ahead of Mr Wilders’s visit in February 2013 and issues precautionary warnings to industry around political activities with potential to affect business and disrupt guest stays.”
Wilders is the founder of the Dutch Party for Freedom, whose platform of opposing the “Islamification” of Western democracies was the inspiration for the Australian Liberty Alliance (ALA). Wilders delivered a video speech in support of the ALA in March. He is currently facing allegations of discrimination for promising a rally of supporters that he would ensure there were “fewer Moroccans” in the Netherlands, a comment that reportedly sparked more than 500 online complaints to Dutch police.
The premier of Western Australia, Colin Barnett, has already said the controversial party would not be able to hire any state-owned location for the launch, which is taking place at an undisclosed location on 20 October.
On Tuesday the ALA national president, Debbie Robinson, said one hotel had already refunded her deposit when it realised who was hosting the event.
“It’s interesting what happens in this country. You can have Islamic speakers, we have guys coming from Hizb ut-Tahrir, they have no problem getting hotels and platforms,”Robinson told the ABC.
“But when an elected member of a democracy with no criminal record who does not incite violence cannot be guaranteed a venue, then there’s something wrong, there’s absolutely double standards.”
The ALA did not respond to Guardian Australia’s requests for comment.
The immigration minister, Peter Dutton, gave clearance for his department to approve Wilders’ visa application on Thursday. He said the department had considered community concerns and the national interest before granting the visa.
Source: The Guardian, Calla Wahlquist, 14th October 2015
Originally published as: Perth hotels warned of risks if they accept Geert Wilders bookings
