On Thursday 17 September unfolds a special scene for an Amsterdam court. Two men from the Zeeland village Kloetinge stand trial for their discriminating contributions to the neo-Nazi Internet forum Stormfront. That sounds like a piece of cake, but given the trouble that justice seems to have with investigating offenses involving racist insults and discrimination on the Internet, this case can be regarded as a breakthrough. Also because the scales in the prosecution time not uitsloeg to the side of freedom of expression.
Earlier this year the leaders behind the forum of the National Alliance were convicted for discrimination, So there seems to be a positive trend. Would justice her cold feet now finally have overcome and larger business in this area dare tackle?
Because the Stormfront forum is an important medium in the extreme right in the Netherlands. The violation incurred by participants in the field of racist insults, discrimination and even violence calls are legion and go up to the present day as usual. Moreover, the two men who are now standing trial were leading people to the forum. Vanaf 2003 tot in 2007 one is important as moderator on the Dutch speaking part of Stormfront and the other direction with his far-right theories. Police raids in 2007 put an end to their activities on Stormfront.
The verdict in the criminal case will follow later, but let's have a look at what we do here.
Hendrik Noordhoek is Cicero
In 1998 Kafka publishes a book about the members of the fascist party CP'86 (Centrumpartij '86). In the chapter Zealand comes drs. Hendrik T. Noordhoek (1966) discussed. This historian lived and still lives in the village of Kloetinge next Goes. A convenient location considering its orientation to the extreme right in Flanders. Noordhoek at CP'86 is not an ordinary member but, despite his abilities, never became officer. He seeks refuge in the nineties in initiatives encounter less resistance than the hyped skinheads of the CP'86. Noordhoek is active at Outpost, the Vlaams Blok and her sister failed Dutch Block.
From the nineties emerged Hendrik Noordhoek into ideologist and author of opinion articles. He writes for various magazines such as the Flemish Vlaams Blok Children. The more intellectual spending TeKoS (The text, The comment was a Studies) and Europe Nouvelles publish his plays. In the Netherlands Noordhoek seeks to educate the far-right supporters to a higher level through articles in the new right-wing Study, Structure and Combat-newsletter, and later in the magazine Front!.
As late nineties, the internet is an increasingly important medium, Noordhoek discovers that he can reach many more people digitally. He is active in libertarian- and Vlaams Blok email lists. The email list of Nazi Stormfront Forum of America has not escaped him and end 1998 he already post a message.
In oktober 2003 One Cicero register on the forum Stormfront and late since a lot of noise itself. His writings are full of anti-Semitism and revisionism.
Over time, he becomes increasingly valued by the Dutch Stormfront Participants for its elaborate contributions. His star is rising and its messages are read by novice right-wing extremists as educational articles. The NCE place an article of his in the party magazine in 2006. All the while Cicero manages to keep his true identity a secret from the outside world. Beware of the process shows that it is an old acquaintance, Hendrik Noordhoek.
Despite his advice to Stormfront Supporters to implement smart nationalist struggle, show violence also an option for him. In april 2007 Cicero the Stormfronters recommends to gain military experience in the army, for the “future nationalist army”. He himself had already stated earlier shooting at a shooting. Cicero thinks that British national socialists for the IRA 100% should support.
Vincent van 't Westeinde's FOP
From the beginning 2003 is skinhead Vincent van 't Westeinde (1971) active on the Stormfront Forum. He comes from the same village as Kloetinge Hendrik Noordhoek. In 2003 en 2004 he is active for some time in the far-right New National Party. Van 't Westeinde used the pseudonyms Full of Pride and later the abbreviation fop. In addition to his own contributions to Stormfront Vincent van 't Westeinde is especially important as moderator (mod). One time he does this work with his girlfriend and a few others. Another time, he is only responsible to lead the discussion in the right direction. The moderators determine whether messages that go too far are cleared, troublemakers are removed and new ones are familiarized. Under the supervision of Van 't Westeinde many Dutch and Flemish participants numerous racist and discriminatory posts, without that he felt it necessary to intervene. Only on messages that led to infighting and tensions, or if they were simply absurd or meaningless, seized the moderators in.
But Vincent van 't Westeinde was also active with the posting. Even so that justice is bread looked to prosecute him for it. So he made positive references to Hitler and negative insults to Jews. He referred to sites that deny the Holocaust. He also considers people with disabilities unable to continue well the white race.
It is thus not to stray teenagers who just call on the Internet. That category is occasionally condemned in the past for racism on Stormfront. But now for the first two real heavyweights turn. Grown men who should know better than to incite hatred through a medium that is accessible to everyone. Unsuspecting online users through search engines come into contact with Holocaust deniers, racists, neo-Nazis and fascists who make their worldview and wild theories publicized. Hopefully the Dutch judiciary able to bring it to a conviction in this important matter.
At the hearing, the Public Justice today against Henry Noordhoek community work 120 hour and demanded three months' imprisonment. Fearing threats from the extreme right movement Noordhoek did not show otherwise. He was represented by a lawyer. By Vincent van 't Westeinde was a suspended sentence of two weeks and demanded a fine of 600 euro.
