Anti-fascism campaigners oppose Geert Wilders who says he hates Islamism - not Muslims

His appearance was met by protestors from Unite Against Fascism who said that the ban against him entering Britain should have been upheld.

Mr Wilders, who is currently on trial for hate speech in his home country, was originally barred from entering Britain in February last year by the then Home Secretary Jacqui Smith. The decision was subsequently overturned in October by a court.

Koran incites "hatred and violence

Following the showing of Fitna, which means “division” in Arabic, Wilders said at a press conference, “I think this is a victory - not so much for me because I’m not important – but for freedom of speech”.

Mr Wilders said that charges of hate speech against him were unjustified, “I cannot emphasise enough that I have nothing against Islam. I have nothing against other people. I am against the ideology of Islamism,” he said. “I reject everything to do with violence and hate”.

The Dutch MP compared Islamism to Communism and Nazism and reiterated his belief that the Koran should be banned. He said, “You have to look at it in a Dutch context. A few years ago the Dutch Parliament banned Mein Kampf and not a single leftist politician said anything against it on the grounds of freedom of speech.”

“If you are consistent that books that incite violence and hatred like Main Kampf should be banned then you should also ban the Koran”.

He claimed that if pages that incited violence and hatred were torn from the Koran all that would remain would be “a Donald Duck book”, whilst he referred to Islam’s founder as “a so-called prophet… a barbarian and a paedophile”.

“I believe Islam is a violent and dangerous religion and a retarded culture,” he said, emphasising his hardline views.