Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has described the Dutch Government as Nazi remnants and fascists, amid a diplomatic row over a cancelled rally.

Turkey’s Family Minister was also blocked from entering the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam as the spat between the two nations worsened yesterday. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said Erdogan’s remark was way out of line.

Earlier, a rally in the city due to be hosted by the Turkish Foreign Minister was banned for security reasons. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu had been hoping to harness the votes of the Turkish diaspora in the Netherlands, home to some 400,000 Turks, ahead of a referendum in Turkey next month on whether to expand Mr Erdogan’s powers.

In this regard, Turkey has summoned the Dutch charge d’affaires to the foreign ministry in Ankara for an explanation.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte issued a statement, calling the visit of the Turkish minister “irresponsible” and the rhetoric by Turkish authorities “unacceptable.”

“In mutual contact with Turkey, Netherlands has repeatedly made it clear that public order and security in our country should not be compromised,” Rutte said, adding that the Dutch government repeatedly told its Turkish counterparts that Kaya is “not welcome in the Netherlands.”

Turkey’s family affairs minister has been escorted to the Dutch-German border as crowds of Turkish protesters rallied at the consulate in Rotterdam. The minister was earlier prevented from staging a pro-Erdogan rally outside the diplomatic premises.

Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya was detained by the Dutch police at the consulate before being further escorted to Germany,“Minister Kaya is on her way to Germany, accompanied by police. Her car is being driven back. This also applies to her guards and employees,” Rotterdam’s mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb told news agency NOS.

Austria, Germany and Switzerland also banned similar gatherings where Turkish officials were due to speak.