UK and Belgian Leaders Condemn Mayor's Shut-Down of Radical Rightwing Conference: Free Speech Debate
The National Conservatives (NatCon) conference in Brussels, attended by British politicians Suella Braverman and Nigel Farage, as well as Hungary's prime minister, Viktor Orbán, and far-right French politician Éric Zemmour, was shut down by the local Belgian mayor.
The decision was criticized by both the UK prime minister, Rishi Sunak, and Belgium's prime minister, Alexander De Croo, who deemed it "unacceptable." The conference had previously struggled to find a venue due to last-minute cancellations.
Police closed down the Claridge hotel in Brussels during a speech by Nigel Farage, the former Brexit party leader, due to a ban issued by the mayor to ensure public security.
The mayor, Emir Kir, stated that the far right was not welcome in the city, and the UK prime minister, Rishi Sunak, criticized the action as damaging to free speech and democracy.
The Belgian Deputy Prime Minister, Alexander De Croo, spoke out against the banning of political meetings, stating that free debate and the exchange of views are essential, even when disagreeing.
He emphasized the importance of municipal autonomy but stressed that it cannot override the Belgian constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech and peaceful assembly since 1830.
De Croo considered the banning of political meetings to be unconstitutional.
Police closed down the Claridge hotel in Brussels during a speech by Nigel Farage, the former Brexit party leader, due to a ban issued by the mayor to ensure public security.
The mayor, Emir Kir, stated that the far right was not welcome in the city, and the UK prime minister, Rishi Sunak, criticized the action as damaging to free speech and democracy.
The Belgian Deputy Prime Minister, Alexander De Croo, spoke out against the banning of political meetings, stating that free debate and the exchange of views are essential, even when disagreeing.
He emphasized the importance of municipal autonomy but stressed that it cannot override the Belgian constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech and peaceful assembly since 1830.
De Croo considered the banning of political meetings to be unconstitutional.