Expedition to Cologne

The International Free Press Society will be well-represented at Pro-Köln’s Anti-Islamization Congress on May 9th: Pamela Geller, Paul Belien, and Lars Hedegaard have confirmed their attendance.

Our Flemish correspondent VH has translated the announcement on Pro-Köln’s website:

Wilders confidant Pamela Geller, Paul Belien, and Lars Hedegaard will be present at the Anti-Islamization Congress in Cologne!

Photo caption: “The well-known New York journalist and Islam critic Pamela Geller, pictured here with the Dutch right-wing MP Geert Wilders, will speak at the press conference of the Anti-Islamization Congress 2009 in Cologne.”

The Wilders confidant and journalist Pamela Geller from New York and the well known Islam critic, publicist and Internet blogger Paul Belien from Flanders, and Lars Hedegaard from Denmark have confirmed their visit to the 2009 Anti-Islamization Congress. In addition, a religious blessing for the main rally will be given on Saturday by a Protestant pastor in four different languages.

A good two weeks before the start of the Anti-Islamization Congress of 2009 in Cologne and surroundings, the range of participating organizations and individuals is ever widening. In addition to the keynote speakers from Vlaams Belang, the FPÖ, the Pro-movement, and the German Parliamentarians Henry Nitzsche and politicians from France, Italy, and the Czech Republic as well as delegations from Spain, Norway, and Switzerland, there are now three more firm commitments by prominent individuals from America, Denmark, and Flanders.

First of all, the well-known New York journalist and Islam critic Pamela Geller, who is a close confidant in America of the Dutch right-wing MP Geert Wilders. As early as last year, many American newspapers and television stations, including CNN, became aware of the Anti-Islamization Congress, and there was a lively political debate on the “scandalous” events in Cologne. Now Pamela Geller, an active participant [in the anti-Islamization movement] in the USA will appear in Cologne, where she also will explain the motivations for her support of the Pro-movement at the international press conference on Friday.

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Paul Belien and Lars Hedegaard, two highly dedicated and globally networked activists for democracy and freedom of speech and against the dangers of Islamization, will participate in the proceedings in Cologne. With their well-known Internet blogs they daily reach tens of thousands of readers in Europe, where already many debates on the new Cologne Congress take place.

“We are also very pleased with the commitment of a Protestant Pastor, who at the beginning of the main public rally on Saturday will conduct a Christian reflection, and then a blessing for all congress participants in German. English, French, and Italian,” the pro-NRW General Secretary Markus Wiener added in a response to the new developments.

“The Pro-movement of 8 through 10 May 2009 will light a beacon that will be watched from beyond Germany’s borders. We will peacefully and with an ecclesiastical blessing exercise our legitimate and democratic rights. In addition, we will clearly demonstrate that patriotism and criticism of Islam have nothing to do with racism or anti-Semitism. This is also shown by our impressive list of speakers and participants.”

Other prominent confirmations of parties and individuals to the Anti-Islamization Congress are expected in the next few days.