Brussels police told to shut down British MPS
Reports that Belgian police attempted to shut down a conference due to be addressed by British politicians are “extremely disturbing”, Downing Street has said.
Authorities in Brussels ordered police to close the National Conservatism conference taking place in the city yesterday, citing concerns about public safety.
Officers attended the conference, where speakers included Suella Braverman and Nigel Farage, but instead of closing the event down immediately, they elected to barricade the entrance, allowing attendees to leave the building, but not re-enter.
The conference had already struggled to find a venue, with two event spaces cancelling the National Conservatives’ booking in the face of public pressure – leading organisers to accuse Brussels mayor Philippe Close of seeking to “cancel” the event for political reasons.
Yesterday afternoon, a Number 10 spokeswoman said: “Clearly, these reports are extremely disturbing.
“The Prime Minister is a strong supporter and advocator for free speech and he believes that should be fundamental to any democracy.
“Speaking more broadly to the principle of such events, he is very clear that cancelling events or preventing attendance and no-platforming speakers is damaging to free speech and to democracy as a result.”
The spokeswoman added she was not aware of any plans to raise the issue with the Belgian government.
Belgian prime minister Alexander De Croo described the police action as “unacceptable”. He said: “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.”
Conference organisers said they would launch a legal challenge to the order requiring them to close, and suggested the second day of the event could be held at a different venue.
In a video on social media, Mr Farage said: “At the meeting you’ve got the prime minister of Hungary, you’ve got a bishop, you’ve got members of the European royal families coming, well-known international businessmen and women, politicians, leaders of parties that will win European elections in countries this year in June.
“And yet, because they are questioning ever-closer union, because they are questioning globalism, they are literally being shut down.”
Ms Braverman said: “It’s laughable that Brussels thought police were sent out to shut down a conference of democratically elected politicians representing the views of millions of people.”
While police surrounded the building, the former home secretary delivered a speech calling for the UK to leave the European Convention of Human Rights immediately, but saying the Government lacked the “political will” to do so.
The conference also heard from Conservative MP Miriam Cates later yesterday, and is expected to host a speech by Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban t o d a y .