Hasselt Mayor Hilde Claes (socialist) has forbidden a meeting of the Islamist organisation Hib ut-Tahrir in Godsheide, in the municipality of Hasselt, following the advice of the police and the Home Department.
Hizb ut-Tahrir had applied to hold a conference in a local meeting place in Godsheide on 4 March, which is part of the municipality of Hasselt. When word spread, the news caused a lot of concern among local people.
Hasselt Mayor Hilde Claes has forbidden the meeting, arguing that public security cannot be guaranteed. Ms Claes also referred to a 1995 law against Holocaust denial and anti-racist legislation.
The Burgomaster added that other local Muslim organisations in Hasselt were not informed about the meeting, and that they want to make it clear that they have nothing to do with the extremist movement.
About Hizb ut-Tahrir
Hizb ut-Tahrir is a pan-Islamic political group and translates as “the party of the liberation”. It is a radical political organisation which regards Islam as an entire system for life.
It opposes the western democratic systems and is commonly associated with the ultimate goal of establishing one big Islamic state unifying all Muslim countries. In such a state, there should be no separation between politics and religion.