🇧🇪🇪🇺❌🗣 Belgian police forcefully shutdown the National Conservatism Conference (NATCON 2024) in the name of "public safety"

Police arrived shortly after the event began at the Claridge venue in central Brussels to tell organisers the event would be shut down.

According to a report on social media, police arrived while Mr Farage was addressing the event, giving attendees 15 minutes to leave the venue. However, officers did not appear to force the event to shut down and speeches continued.

Officers have now said they will not let anyone else into the venue and people can leave and not re-enter the venue.

The conference has already had to move location twice after mayors within the Brussels region refused the meeting’s chosen venues.

Emir Kir, mayor of the area where the conference was held, said: “I issued an order from the mayor to ban the ‘National Conservatism Conference’ event to guarantee public safety.

“In Etterbeek, Brussels City and Saint-Josse, the far-right is not welcome.”

NATCON 2024 was attended by Nigel Farage, Viktor Orban and others.

🔗 https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/national-conservatism-conference-brussels-shut-down-police-b2529501.html

🇧🇪 Belgian prime-minister, Alexander de Croo about the incident earlier today at NatCon 2024:

“What happened at the Claridge today is unacceptable. Municipal autonomy is a cornerstone of our democracy but can never overrule the Belgian constitution guaranteeing the freedom of speech and peaceful assembly since 1830. Banning political meetings is unconstitutional. Full stop.”

🔗 https://www.politico.eu/article/brussels-police-shut-down-nigel-farage-viktor-orban-right-wing-jamboree/