By David Averre For Mailonline and Ap08:09 EDT 04 Nov 2022 , updated 12:36 EDT 04 Nov 2022
www.dailymail.co.uk
The government of the Netherlands has banned British conspiracy theorist David Icke from entering most of Europe for two years amid fears his planned presence at a weekend demonstration in Amsterdam would spark unrest.
Icke, 70, is a prominent advocate of the belief that a race of lizard people have taken over the Earth by posing as human leaders.
He was previously kicked off Twitter for spreading misinformation surrounding Covid-19, with some of his wild claims suggesting that Jewish people and 5G mobile phone towers were behind the pandemic.
Dutch Justice Minister Dilan Yeilgöz-Zegerius told reporters Friday that freedom of speech and the right to demonstrate were fundamental rights, 'but they are not limitless.'
Dutch immigration authorities said in a letter Icke published on his website that 'there are concrete indications that your arrival in the Netherlands poses a threat to public order.'
A decree from the Dutch government bans Icke from 26 countries in Europe's passport-free Schengen travel zone.
On his website, the former Coventry City and Hereford United footballer called the ban an 'extraordinary, over-the-top response.'
Icke had been expected to address a demonstration Sunday by an anti-authority group called Together for the Netherlands.
Law enforcement authorities have said the gathering was expected to draw counter-demonstrators, including far-left groups.
It is not the first time Icke has been refused entry to a country. In 2019, Australia canceled his visa ahead of a speaking tour.
In November 2020, Twitter permanently suspended Icke's account after he was accused of peddling coronavirus misinformation.
He made controversial unproven claims about the virus on several internet platforms, including one that suggested it is linked to the 5G mobile network.
A spokesman for Twitter said Icke, who had 382,000 followers, had violated its rules regarding the spread of 'false' information on Covid-19.
'The account referenced has been permanently suspended for violating Twitter's rules regarding Covid misinformation,' they told the BBC.
The action came after Facebook and YouTube took similar action in May 2020.
Icke joined hundreds of anti-lockdown protesters in Birmingham on Halloween in 2020, with demonstrators calling Covid-19 a 'hoax'.
He also attended a mass anti-lockdown rally in Trafalgar Square in August, organised by Jeremy Corbyn's brother Piers, and urged police to 'stop serving the psychopaths'.
Icke played as a goalkeeper for Coventry City's youth team in the 60s and 70s before playing intermittently for Hereford United.
After his career was cut short due to arthritis, he made a career in sports broadcasting before he was marginalised for peddling anti-Semitic conspiracy theories.
Conspiracy theorist David Icke banned from most of Europe
Icke, 70, was banned from YouTube and social media platforms in 2020 after he published wild claims suggesting that Jewish people and 5G mobile phone towers were behind the coronavirus pandemic
The government of the Netherlands has banned British conspiracy theorist David Icke from entering most of Europe for two years amid fears his planned presence at a weekend demonstration in Amsterdam would spark unrest.
Icke, 70, is a prominent advocate of the belief that a race of lizard people have taken over the Earth by posing as human leaders.
He was previously kicked off Twitter for spreading misinformation surrounding Covid-19, with some of his wild claims suggesting that Jewish people and 5G mobile phone towers were behind the pandemic.
Dutch Justice Minister Dilan Yeilgöz-Zegerius told reporters Friday that freedom of speech and the right to demonstrate were fundamental rights, 'but they are not limitless.'
Dutch immigration authorities said in a letter Icke published on his website that 'there are concrete indications that your arrival in the Netherlands poses a threat to public order.'
A decree from the Dutch government bans Icke from 26 countries in Europe's passport-free Schengen travel zone.
On his website, the former Coventry City and Hereford United footballer called the ban an 'extraordinary, over-the-top response.'
Icke had been expected to address a demonstration Sunday by an anti-authority group called Together for the Netherlands.
Law enforcement authorities have said the gathering was expected to draw counter-demonstrators, including far-left groups.
It is not the first time Icke has been refused entry to a country. In 2019, Australia canceled his visa ahead of a speaking tour.
In November 2020, Twitter permanently suspended Icke's account after he was accused of peddling coronavirus misinformation.
He made controversial unproven claims about the virus on several internet platforms, including one that suggested it is linked to the 5G mobile network.
A spokesman for Twitter said Icke, who had 382,000 followers, had violated its rules regarding the spread of 'false' information on Covid-19.
'The account referenced has been permanently suspended for violating Twitter's rules regarding Covid misinformation,' they told the BBC.
The action came after Facebook and YouTube took similar action in May 2020.
Icke joined hundreds of anti-lockdown protesters in Birmingham on Halloween in 2020, with demonstrators calling Covid-19 a 'hoax'.
He also attended a mass anti-lockdown rally in Trafalgar Square in August, organised by Jeremy Corbyn's brother Piers, and urged police to 'stop serving the psychopaths'.
Icke played as a goalkeeper for Coventry City's youth team in the 60s and 70s before playing intermittently for Hereford United.
After his career was cut short due to arthritis, he made a career in sports broadcasting before he was marginalised for peddling anti-Semitic conspiracy theories.
