A court of the Netherlands in Haarlem has defended the decision to ban the British conspiracy theorist David Icke from entering the Schengen Area.
The Dutch Secretary, Eric van der Burg, imposed a two-year ban on Icke last year with the argument that he could be a potential threat to public order.
Following the ban, Icke rejected such an argument, saying that he could not be banned on such a pretext and, at the same time, noting that the Netherlands was breaking free speech rights.
However, through an official ruling released earlier this week, the court said that it agrees with the reasoning of the State Secretary, suggesting that the decision to ban Icke is lawful.
The court agrees with the State Secretary that he can also include potential threats to public order in the question of whether a third-country national poses a threat to public order.
As the NL Times explains, the court also acknowledged the right to freedom of expression while emphasising that these rights have their limits.
Moreover, the court noted the ability of Icke to express his views and thoughts through alternative means and highlighted that the State Secretary had no other option to ensure public safety but to impose a ban against Icke.
The court agrees with Icke that the exceptions to the right to freedom of expression and association must be interpreted strictly. But according to the court, these rights are not unlimited.
Moreover, the court said that it finds the duration of the ban proportionate. However, it did not disclose whether an extension of the ban will take place in the future.
Prior to this, the preliminary relief judge also ruled back in December of last year that the decision of the State Secretary to impose an entry ban against Icke was right.
Back then, Icke claimed that he was planning to spend Christmas with his in-laws in the Netherlands, with him challenging the decision as well as requiring the country to lift the ban temporarily.
Despite this, the court denied such a request back then, saying that denying access to the Schengen Area was the only effective way of preventing Icke from entering the Netherlands.
Now that the court has announced its decision on the matter, Icke has four weeks to decide whether he wants to appeal the verdict, the NL Time notes. In case he decides to appeal the verdict, the case will then go to the highest administrative court in the Netherlands.
