Antigay Activist Prompts Dutch Politician To Pull Out of LA Film Premiere

Geert Wilders, a Dutch politician best known for his harsh criticism of Islam, has pulled out of the Los Angeles premiere of a documentary based on his life because he opposes antigay statements made by the chairman of the Christian Action Network, a conservative group that coproduced the film.

The premiere of Islam Rising: Geert Wilders' Warning to the West, set for May 1, was canceled as a result.

Christian Action Network president Martin Mawyer has a history of making antigay statements, dating back to Ellen DeGeneres's coming-out episode on her sitcom. Mawyer sent an e-mail to network members saying DeGeneres "dumped her filthy lesbian lifestyle in the middle of your living room."

A spokesperson for Wilders said he and event organizer Freedom Defense Initiative pulled out of the premiere because he didn't want people to think he condoned the antigay statements.

A controversial figure in the Netherlands, Wilders has been an outspoken critic of what he calls the "Islamization of the Netherlands" and has prompted several complaints. A Dutch court recently ordered the country's public prosecutor to try Wilders for hate speech.

Islam Rising: Geert Wilders' Warning to the West is a coproduction of PRB Films and the Christian Action Network.