Belgian police shut down a meeting of far-right politicians and supporters in Brussels, citing concerns about public order. The gathering was for the annual National Conservative conference, which is being held ahead of Europe-wide elections. The conference featured speeches emphasizing anti-migrant sentiment, criticizing climate policy, and opposing multinational organizations like the EU. Despite concerns about mainstream parties losing power in the upcoming elections, surveys suggest they are likely to retain power, though possibly with a reduced majority.
Attendees at the conference, organized by the conservative U.S. think tank the Edmund Burke Foundation, protested curbs on free speech and vowed to find another venue for Day 2 after being shut down by police. Several well-known far-right figures were scheduled to speak, including French figurehead Eric Zemmour, who was turned away by police. Other speakers who were able to address the gathering included Suella Braverman, Viktor Orban, and politicians from Spain, Poland, and the Netherlands. Orban criticized the police for trying to silence him, comparing it to actions taken against him by Communists in 1988.
Speakers at the conference referenced grand ideas from historical figures like the Pope, Homer, and Dostoyevsky, and criticized modern liberal democracy as a form of “neo-Marxist authoritarianism.” The common language used at the conference was English, with sprinkles of classical Latin. Participants primarily focused on their perceived “enemies” within mainstream political parties, with EU lawmaker Hermann Tertsch stating that their enemies are in panic and their time is running out. Despite police warnings that the conference’s time was limited, Edmund Burke Foundation Chairman Yoram Hazony encouraged participants to stay and continue speaking.
Belgian police quietly shut down the conference by preventing attendees from re-entering the venue if they left, with around a dozen officers blocking the main entrance. This was the third venue for the gathering after owners of two other locations backed out due to threats of disruption by anti-fascist protesters. The conference was held under the banner of “National Conservatism, Preserving the Nation-State in Europe,” and featured speeches railing against the EU and the European Court of Human Rights. While surveys suggest mainstream parties may retain power after the upcoming elections, the NatCon 2024 conference attendees expressed concerns about curbs on free speech and mainstream political parties’ responses to their ideology.
Despite being shut down early by police, speakers at the conference continued to express their views and criticize mainstream political parties. Particular animosity was directed towards the EU, multinational organizations, and the concept of an “ever-closer Union” among member countries. Attendees at the NatCon 2024 conference vowed to find another venue for Day 2, reflecting their commitment to ensuring their ideology remains part of the public discourse. The shutdown of the conference underscored tensions between mainstream parties and far-right groups in the lead-up to the Europe-wide elections in June.
