Belgian protesters to fight ban

The organisers of a march against Islam say they will appeal against a decision to refuse them a permit.

The mayor of Brussels refused permission for the 11 September march by Stop the Islamisation of Europe, saying it would disturb public order.

His decision has been upheld by a Belgian court, but now the marchers plan to appeal to the highest court in the land for an urgent decision.

And the Danish branch of the alliance says its members will march anyway.

The alliance wants to hold the demonstration on the sixth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the US.

Its slogans include No to Sharia Law and Democracy Not Theocracy.

Brussels has a substantial Muslim population.

The German organiser, Udo Ulfkotte, says the marchers' freedom of speech has been denied by the ban and rejects any suggestion of ties to extremist neo-Nazi groups.

He says a new political party in Germany will be formed as a result of the ban on the Brussels march.

It will act as a sponge, he says, for all those who are fed up with politicians and want equal rights for everybody.