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Geert Wilders pictured on Friday. Peter Dejong

Over 100 arrested at Dutch anti-fascist protest, as Geert Wilders trial proceeds

About 200 protesters had gathered for the demonstration, organised under the slogan “Stop oppression against anti-facists and anarchists”.

POLICE HAVE ARRESTED 166 radical left-wingers at a protest in the Dutch capital The Hague over police violence.

About 200 protesters had gathered for Saturday’s demonstration, organised under the slogan “Stop oppression against anti-facists and anarchists”.

The city had approved the rally as long as people left their faces uncovered.

“At the start of the demonstration, a number of protesters covered their faces with scarves, hoods and sunglasses,” the police said in a statement.

After they refused to unmask, the mayor ordered the event to end. The police added:

A group of 166 protesters resisted… and were arrested for breaking the law on public demonstrations.

Illegal fireworks, paint bombs, sticks and a hammer were found on the ground when police moved in to make the arrests.

Far-right trial

Late last week, Dutch prosecutors demanded a €5,000 fine for controversial anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders in his hate-speech trial, saying he “insulted Moroccans” and sowed discord among citizens.

“We ask the bench to convict Mr Wilders for insulting a group and incitement to hate and discrimination, and therefore demand a fine of €5,000,” public prosecutor Wouter Bos told judges.

But he did not ask for the maximum penalty of €22,250, as Bos said “there are worst statements imaginable” than those made by the far-right leader, known for his fiery rhetoric.

The peroxide-haired politician’s comments “were insulting towards Moroccans as an ethnic group” and bore testimony of “strong negative feelings” towards them, Bos said.

Neither Wilders – who has snubbed the sittings at a high security courthouse near Schiphol airport – nor his lawyer were present as prosecutors wrapped up their case.

Wilders, 53, is facing charges of insulting a racial group and inciting racial hatred after statements he made about Moroccans living in the Netherlands.

Netherlands Wilders Geert Wilders of the anti-Islam Freedom Party holds a sign reading No Hate Imams in the Netherlands in Utrecht, central Netherlands in 2015. Peter Dejong / PA Peter Dejong / PA / PA

Moroccans

Due to run until 25 November, the trial focuses on a March 2014 election rally when Wilders asked supporters whether they wanted “fewer or more Moroccans” in the country.

When the crowd shouted back “Fewer! Fewer!” a smiling Wilders answered: “We’re going to organise that.”

With this speech, Wilders “made a clear distinction between Moroccans and other Dutch citizens,” another prosecutor, Sabina van der Kallen told a three-judge bench.

The verdict and sentence are expected on 9 December.

Wilders has so far snubbed the trial which he has denounced as a “political process” and a “travesty” accusing government of trying to silence him.

- © AFP, 2016

Read: Dutch gymnast sent home from Olympics after going out drinking

Read: Fingal Council takes case against Starbucks in Swords after Bord Pleanála finding

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    Mute John Burke
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    Nov 21st 2016, 8:17 AM

    More violence against free speech, SJWs have only succeeded in causing Brexit and president elect Trump. That is their legacy. Sad thing is they can’t even see that they are the cause of the rise of the ALT right. Clowns the lot of them.

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    Mute Justin Credible
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    Nov 21st 2016, 8:20 AM

    This triggered me

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    Mute Eva Carneiro
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    Nov 21st 2016, 8:21 AM

    The chickens will really come home to roost when Le Pen gets in to power in France

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    Mute John Burke
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    Nov 21st 2016, 8:22 AM

    @Justin Credible: Find a safe space and stick on some whale music, yill be fine in a year or two. LOL

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    Mute Cen Sored
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    Nov 21st 2016, 8:24 AM

    Did you also lol when they described themselves as anti fascist and anarchist? Oh the irony

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    Mute John Burke
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    Nov 21st 2016, 8:24 AM

    @Justin Credible: What are you protesting against? What have you got?????

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    Mute God
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    Nov 21st 2016, 8:36 AM

    At least this will be one dangerous fascist off the streets,a message to those who support Wilders from the Dutch justice system. You do the crime you do the time.

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    Mute Marlowemallow
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    Nov 21st 2016, 8:54 AM

    @God: He’ll be getting a fine not a prison sentence.

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    Mute Mercurial One
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    Nov 21st 2016, 9:41 AM

    @John Burke: John, I’d say Trump’s election was a result of neoliberalism and the social divisions it encourages. People who think that turning their frustration into anger and supporting Trump, Wilders, Johnston and Le Pen etc. will be very sorely disappointed; if they think that will make any difference to their ordinary lives.

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    Mute Jason Culligan
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    Nov 21st 2016, 10:01 AM

    @God:

    He hasn’t even been convicted of any crime yet. His complete disregard for the courts shows exactly how serious the results of this trial will be taken.

    While the Ministry of Justice prances about trying to get him fined for one statement, he’s more concerned with leading what is now the most popular party in the Netherlands.

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    Mute Mr Phil Officer
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    Nov 21st 2016, 10:20 AM

    Freedom of speech is a privilege earned and enjoyed by free societies, although groups from all sides of the debate seems to think that this privilege is a license to say whatever they want without consequence.

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    Mute MackPilon
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    Nov 21st 2016, 11:42 AM

    Geert Wilders incurred the wrath of the RoP with his video Fitna which exposed what they are really up to. He now has to sleep in a different place each night and has 24/7 police protection. Thus are OUR freedoms eroded , keep on at them Geert, they don’t like it up ‘em.

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    Mute Myk_Oval_Balls_nRyt
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    Nov 21st 2016, 1:24 PM

    @Justin Credible: Im triggered and outraged that you’ve been triggered. We must establish a safe space colony where we will be free of gender profiling, xenophobes and anyone who has a non left of centre point of view, regardless of how rational it may be.

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    Mute Mercurial One
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    Nov 21st 2016, 3:49 PM

    @Eva Carneiro: Eva, the reason why some of the ‘roosting chickens’ in France feel so disenfranchised, is precisely because of the racist and past colonial attitudes still being promoted by the FN.
    I’m not talking about Islamist nutcases but the many ordinary decent Muslims, Jewish and Sikh community who are barred from public service for simply observing their religious beliefs.

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    Mute Eva Carneiro
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    Nov 21st 2016, 3:53 PM

    Yes it is clear that the racial situation in France is a lot more raw than it is in the UK and US, due to the more traumatic end to France’s colonial past. That is why I made the comment I have made. The ultra PC attitude of the left has helped to create the situation we are in and I hope they are happy with the monster they have created.

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    Mute Mercurial One
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    Nov 21st 2016, 4:40 PM

    @Eva Carneiro: I totally agree, a complete lack of direction and leadership from Social Democrats when they climbed into bed with the ‘Global/Corporate’ propagandist’s league to help save our corrupt banking system.

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    Mute Juan Venegas
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    Nov 21st 2016, 9:20 AM

    I’ve lived in the Netherlands and every problem I had with pick pocketing, a car made a hit and run on me, women’s slurs were made by Moroccans. 75% of prisons were occupied by Moroccans when I was living in there. You need to live there to experience it. There is a mayor problem with Moroccans and Turkish in The Netherlands, they brought in too many, but it backfired at the Dutch as they were the ones who ask them to work in The Netherlands as they needed people to help rebuild the country after WW2. The Netherlands is a basket case when it comes to Muslim population.

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    Mute Jason Culligan
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    Nov 21st 2016, 10:19 AM

    @Juan Venegas:

    You’re spot-on with your assessment. I lived in a predominantly Muslim area of Rotterdam for a while and you had to see it to believe it. It’s getting to the point where a very open, liberal populace such as the Dutch are willing to vote for Geert Wilders to solve the social issues that the Moroccan community especially has created.

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    Mute Breandán O Conchúir
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    Nov 21st 2016, 10:28 AM

    We have for nearly a quarter of a century been receiving several thousand Irishmen annually among us. We have given them land — almost for nothing; employment at far better wages than they could have obtained at home; and political rights equal to those which are enjoyed by the sons of the best and noblest Americans. They have come to us steeped in ignorance and superstition; we have let them have their priests and their churches… . They have so behaved themselves that nearly seventy-five per cent of our criminals and paupers are Irish; that fully seventy-five per cent of the crimes of violence committed among us are the work of Irishmen; that the system of universal suffrage in large cities has fallen into discredit through the incapacity of the Irish for self-government; yet we have never countenanced any invidious legislation against them, have never thought of depriving them of the political rights they abused, have never sought to protect ourselves against their misconduct.”

    — quote is from Harper’s Weekly — Oct. 20, 1860. Describing the Irish in america

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    Mute frash
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    Nov 21st 2016, 10:31 AM

    Racist, sexist, homophobe, anti muslim, xenophobe, fatophobe, everythingelseophobe can’t ye just hear it coming !

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    Mute Jason Culligan
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    Nov 21st 2016, 10:45 AM

    @Breandán O Conchúir:

    The difference is that the Irish in the US actually worked for those rights. The latest figures I could find come from 2001, however the stats show that non-western participation in the Dutch work force stood at 50% while the Moroccan community especially had an appalling 42% labour force participation rate:

    https://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/fra_uploads/237-NL.pdf

    The main carriers of those statistics were those of Surinamese ethnicity with a 62% participation rate. Both Moroccan and Turkish groups were scoring under the 50% mark.

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    Mute Greg Blake
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    Nov 21st 2016, 10:53 AM

    Seriously Brendan, Harpers Weekly? Even so, that history shows how integration always worked well over time, whereas multiculturalism never has.

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    Mute Mick Johnson
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    Nov 21st 2016, 1:27 PM

    Best of luck Geert!

    Our free speech depends on you!

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    Mute BlueSkyThinking
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    Nov 21st 2016, 4:06 PM

    I lived in the Netherlands and the biggest problem I had with crime were heroine addicts mainly around the train stations, where I had my bike stolen twice and a friend of mine was mugged at knife-point. I also happened to live in a predominately Muslim neighborhood. There were a few gangs of teenage boys that were troublesome but no more so than any gangs of inner city teenage boys here in Ireland. I got to know some of my neighbors and local shop keepers and they were by and large a pretty sound bunch.
    That said I am uncomfortable with the restrictions the Muslim religion places on women.

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    Mute Mercurial One
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    Nov 21st 2016, 7:47 PM

    @Jason Culligan: Bravo ‘master race’ Culligan. Any change on your support for Islamist terrorist’s holding civilians to ransom in East Aleppo?

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    Mute Patrick J O'CONNOR
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    Nov 21st 2016, 8:59 AM

    Radical imams will be “banned” and criminals with dual citizenship will be deported.

    Wilders said: “I am very proud of the draft election manifesto. The PVV is fighting Islam, wants to close the borders of the European Union and to give all the billions we save back to the people. My message to Netherlands: Netherlands must again be ours.”

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    Mute Patrick J O'CONNOR
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    Nov 21st 2016, 9:01 AM

    @Patrick J O’CONNOR:
    Go Geert Go!
    —”’The party has been leading the polls for several months following a string of Islamist terror attacks across Europe and a growing frustration in many countries about a perceived lacklustre response to extremism from mainstream politicians. —”
    http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/netherlands-pvv-leader-geert-wilders-koran-islam-mosque-ban-holland-dutch-pm-favourite-a7214356.html

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    Mute Jason Culligan
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    Nov 21st 2016, 9:58 AM

    @Patrick J O’CONNOR:

    There have been a number of raids by police over the last year with firearms, explosives and drugs being recovered in areas which have a predominantly Muslim population. Just last week Rotterdam Airport was on heightened alert due to a terrorist threat and a few weeks back security had to be heightened at Schiphol.

    When I first moved here, Geert Wilders was a running joke. Now he’s actually a serious contender in many eyes.

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    Mute Joseph Caulfield
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    Nov 21st 2016, 12:41 PM

    @Jason Culligan:
    Im surprised Wilders is so popular given the tolerance of Dutch society. Things must be very bad for him to be so close to power.

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    Mute Mr Snuffleupagus
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    Nov 21st 2016, 8:12 AM

    Well at least be consistent and prosecute the 166 protesters too then.

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    Mute Marlowemallow
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    Nov 21st 2016, 8:55 AM

    @Mr Snuffleupagus: It was a legal protest. The only ones who can be prosecuted are those who covered their faces.

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    Mute None
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    Nov 21st 2016, 8:55 AM

    Amsterdam is the capital.

    We either have a society they promotes freedom of speech and expression or we don’t. No cherry picking! A persons opinion doesn’t necessarily have to make you feel comfortable, we should always have the right to exercise our point of view.

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    Mute Buster VL
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    Nov 21st 2016, 9:56 AM

    Weird.
    Just as the Anti-Trump riots in the USA, it seems that the “Radical, Liberal left” is very quick to descend into violent protest.
    Violent Anti racist bigots ? – seems a contradiction.

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    Mute Emmet Purcell
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    Nov 21st 2016, 10:54 AM

    The ‘anti-facists’ always seem to get violent when they don’t get their way.

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    Mute David Thomas
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    Nov 21st 2016, 1:26 PM

    As do fascists.

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    Mute John Fergus
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    Nov 21st 2016, 11:51 AM

    “With this speech, Wilders “made a clear distinction between Moroccans and other Dutch citizens,”
    But they are different. Ignoring reality is a form of self delusion bordering on insanity.
    A sheepdog born in a stables is a horse according to leftie logic.
    The good news is the era of insane political correctness that has enabled type of bs is coming to an end.

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    Mute Cillian O'Gara
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    Nov 21st 2016, 8:13 AM

    When a political movement bases its entire focus and identity on being “anti” anything, it is already devoid of original ideas and thought. Opposition of ideas shouldn’t be done for its own sake, but in order to promote better alternatives. Antifa has failed to do this.

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    Mute Marlowemallow
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    Nov 21st 2016, 9:04 AM

    @Cillian O’Gara: The most important thing that the antifascists have not done is they have ignored, denied and minimized the Islamist bigots and fascists in Europe while violently attacking the only groups that have been motivated enough to point out that problem publicly.

    That’s where the EDL and BNP came from – they were the only ones listening to the girls being groomed and raped in towns like Rotherham across northern England and to the attitudes of the perpetrators. All the Left were interested in doing was silencing them, denying it was happening and violently shutting them up. Partly because the Left in the UK gets the block vote of most of the Pakistani and Bangladeshi heritage muslim community.

    If they directed a fraction of their attention to the problem of Islamist bigotry and fascism they might actually serve a useful purpose. But the fascisms of a minority within nation-states are outside the interests of these ever so global and cosmopolitan antifascists. And the only explanation for that failure that ultimately holds water is cowardice.

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    Mute MackPilon
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    Nov 21st 2016, 11:44 AM

    @Marlowemallow: 100% correct.

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    Mute Kieran C
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    Nov 21st 2016, 12:19 PM

    Shock horror! The violent,backward,hooded libtards are causing trouble on the streets yet again.We live in a wonderful time.To see the filt*y “liberals” seething with swivel-eyed anger on a daily basis is indeed a beautiful thing.

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    Mute Seán Domhnall O'Sullivan
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    Nov 21st 2016, 9:16 AM

    Wilders is a pussy cat le pen is the real threat,n I say that as someome who thinks th left and sjws are still acting like morons.

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    Mute Padraig O Muirthile
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    Nov 21st 2016, 11:39 AM

    For those that don’t speak Irish, this is Patrick Hurley from Tralee. I never comment here anymore because of the pro-choice bias and personal fatwa on the Journal. I have had to change my name on my own Facebook page to get rid of these weirdos from stalking me. There was a very subtle threat against me personally made on this website last night. A user, Francis McCarthy, tried to link my name to another account, that of Hugh Manittee. I assure you that I am not him and that this stalking weirdo Francis McCarthy and his weirdo rottweilers are barking up the wrong tree. I do not take kindly to the threat implied in last night’s post. “You are Patrick Hurley from Tralee” is unsettling from this group of freaks. This is exactly why I no longer comment here. I feel the Journal know who these people are and should have the decency to challenge or ban these individuals on their bullying and threats. By the way, Francis. Come up to Tralee alone and give me a call. I’m sure you have my number. Let’s see what a brave man you are face to face.

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    Mute Petr Tarasov
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    Nov 21st 2016, 8:41 AM

    Lock him up.

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    Mute Mac Ready
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    Nov 21st 2016, 8:58 AM

    Lock you up Petr you SJW fascist!

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    Mute Patrick J O'CONNOR
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    Nov 21st 2016, 9:03 AM

    @Mac Ready:
    Apologies Mac I inadvertently red-thumbed you.

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    Mute Jason Culligan
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    Nov 21st 2016, 10:58 AM

    @Mac Ready:

    Don’t mind him Mac, he’s still in therapy after Clinton lost.

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    Mute Joe Reynolds
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    Nov 21st 2016, 8:45 AM

    Are they all trying to dress up like Trump or something?

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