Freedom of speech...

Right-wing Dutch MP Geert Wilders, who planned to show his controversial film - which links the Islamic holy book to terrorism - in the UK's House of Lords, has been sent back to the Netherlands after attempting to defy a ban on entering the UK. The 45 year-old Freedom Party MP was asked to show the film "Fitna" at the House of Lords by UK Independence Party peer Lord Pearson.
Mr Wilders, who faces trial in his own country for inciting hatred, had been denied entry by the Home Office.
Lord Pearson said he disagreed with Mr Wilders' call to ban the Koran, but accused the Home Office of "appeasing violent Islam".

The right to freedom of speech is recognized as a human right under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, but does not include the right to 'hate speech'.
Dutch MP banned from entering UK

Whether I agree with Geert Wilders or not is immaterial (I don't, by the way). Of greater concern is whether our government was right to ban him and to be honest, I'm not sure.

On one hand, thanks to the publicity generated by the government's ban, many people will now seek out his film on the Internet, thus providing more potential supporters for Wilders' beliefs and turning an obscure Dutch MP into an unlikely (and in my opinion undeserved) champion of free speech. Furthermore, banning Wilders could prove counterproductive towards an intelligent debate on Islam and its coexistence with Western civilization, instead providing ammunition for extremists on both sides of the argument.

However, what price free speech if it comes attached with hatred and prejudice? Does free speech include the right to make provocative comments designed to antagonise people and encourage religious intolerance? I think not. Inciting others to commit criminal acts is a crime in itself, and freedom of speech doesn't include freedom from responsibility.

In the end it depends whether you agree with the following quote by Noam Chomsky:

"If you believe in freedom of speech, you believe in freedom of speech for views you don't like. Goebbels was in favor of freedom of speech for views he liked. So was Stalin. If you're in favor of freedom of speech, that means you're in favor of freedom of speech precisely for views you despise."