In Brussels, the capital of Europe, the left’s commitment to freedom of speech is once again on display. Jordan Bardella, leader of the French right-wing National Rally (RN) and the European Parliamentary political group Patriots for Europe (PfE), presented his latest book called Ce que je cherche (‘What I am looking for’) in the Hungarian House in Brussels. Several far-left antifa organizations had announced plans for a demonstration at the venue. ‘Let’s make sure the fascists no longer feel at home in Brussels,’ the groups said in an appeal on social media.
According to a post by Hungarian Prime Minister’s political director Balázs Orbán on X, protesters holding Antifa flags attempted to block the entrance to the Hungarian House. The post stated that the aggressive mob threw bottles and fireworks at the police providing security at the event.
‘Congratulations to @J_Bardella on his new book! The book launch took place at the last bastion of free speech in #Brussels, the #Hungarian House,’ Orbán highlighted, adding that it is a disgrace for the European Union that such incidents can occur in its so-called capital.
Despite the protest, the event was reported to have proceeded smoothly. ‘The extreme left wanted me to back down: that’s not knowing me very well,’ wrote Bardella in a post on X after the event.
This is not the first time in recent months that the left has attempted to silence right-wing voices in Brussels. At the end of September, for example, Professor Frank Füredi, Director of MCC Brussels, was scheduled to launch his latest book at the Piola Libri bookshop in Brussels. However, the manager decided at the last minute to cancel the event, citing that the book launch would have been ‘too political’ for a venue that aims to maintain political neutrality.
‘This incident underscores the deeply censorious nature of the EU bubble and the hypocrisy that persists and thrives in Brussels and Belgium,’ Füredi told Hungarian Conservative at the time.
‘Whenever a right-wing politician or conservative voice speaks, there is an immediate effort to disrupt or cancel the conference or event’
A similar scenario unfolded at the National Conservatism Conference (NatCon) in April. As reported in extensive coverage by Hungarian Conservative, the event, which was set to feature prominent right-wing figures such as Nigel Farage and Viktor Orbán, faced cancellations from several venues that had initially agreed to host it, due to pressure from international media and left-leaning Brussels district mayors. The conference was eventually held at a third venue, but Emir Kir, the mayor of the Saint-Josse district in Brussels, sent police to the site in an attempt to forcibly prevent the event from taking place. This move was ultimately thwarted by a court ruling.
‘Politicians here do not favour freedom of expression. Whenever a right-wing politician or conservative voice speaks, there is an immediate effort to disrupt or cancel the conference or event,’ Füredi pointed out in the aforementioned statement.
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