Pete Hoekstra, the newly appointed ambassador of the United States to the Netherlands, on Friday called his own comments about Muslims “fake news” before backtracking minutes later.
During an interview for the show Nieuwsuur, journalist Wouter Zwart asked Hoekstra about his statement in a 2015 conference that there were “no-go zones” in the Netherlands and cars and politicians were being set on fire in the country. Far-right politicians in parts of Europe are known to defend their aversion to Muslim immigration by the theory that “no-go zones” – largely Muslim areas where other residents are scared to go – have started coming up in cities.
Hoekstra called it “fake news”.
Here’s a transcript of the conversation:
Wouter Zwart: Speaking of threats, at one point, you mentioned in a debate that there are no-go zones in the Netherlands, and that cars and politicians are being set on fire in the Netherlands.
Pete Hoekstra: I didn’t say that. That is actually an incorrect statement. Yeah, we would call it fake news...it’s not what I said.
[Zwart shows Hoekstra clips of his statement.
Hoekstra (in the video clip): The Islamic movement has now gotten to a point where they have put Europe into chaos. Chaos in the Netherlands, there are cars being burnt, there are politicians that are being burnt...and yes, there are no-go zones in the Netherlands.]
Zwart (after Hoekstra watches the clip): You call that fake news?
Hoekstra: I didn’t call that fake news. I didn’t use the words today. I don’t think I did.
The US appointed Hoekstra as the Dutch ambassador on December 11.
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