LONDON: The Dutch government has banned British conspiracy theorist David Icke from the Netherlands and the entire Schengen area of the European Union for two years over fears his presence could "disturb public order".
Icke claimed that he had been banned by the "fascist Dutch regime" and published on his website a letter sent to him on Thursday by the Dutch immigration services, on behalf of State Secretary for Justice and Security Eric van der Burg.
Icke is a former professional footballer and television presenter who has argued that the world is ruled by reptiles, a theory recently advocated by the Dutch populist parliamentarian Thierry Baudet.
Icke was due to speak at a demonstration in Amsterdam on Sunday against the Ukraine war, the Dutch government and energy prices.
Amsterdam officials fear that there will be clashes, even if Icke only appears by via video link.
"With this letter I inform you that you have been flagged immediately in the Schengen Information System for two years and you are not allowed to enter the Schengen area," said the letter.
"You have been internationally known for years as a propagator of conspiracy theories," it added.
The presence of Icke, who has made "anti-Semitic and offensive statements in the past", could lead to unrest in the Netherlands at a time when violence and threats against politicians are on the rise, said the Dutch government.
Dutch authorities say it is the second time they have taken such action, following the 2019 ban on Steven Anderson, an American preacher who believes that gay people should be executed.