Brussels Police Disrupt Hard-Right Gathering: Orbán, Farage, and Zemmour Speak Out on Censorship Allegations

Brussels, Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium Belgium
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo described the police intervention as 'unacceptable' and noted that municipal autonomy is a cornerstone of Belgian democracy.
Brussels police shut down a hard-right gathering featuring European politicians including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, former British politician Nigel Farage, and French far-right candidate Eric Zemmour.
The conference had struggled to find a venue and faced criticism from anti-fascist groups, leading to small protests outside the venue.
The event was scheduled to take place at the Claridge venue in the Saint-Josse Ten Noode neighborhood of Brussels but was ordered halted by Emir Kir, the mayor of Saint-Josse Ten Noode, for public safety reasons.
Brussels Police Disrupt Hard-Right Gathering: Orbán, Farage, and Zemmour Speak Out on Censorship Allegations

A hard-right gathering featuring European politicians, including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and former British politician Nigel Farage, was disrupted and shut down by Brussels police on Tuesday. The event, which was scheduled to take place at the Claridge venue in the Saint-Josse Ten Noode neighborhood of Brussels, was ordered halted by Emir Kir, the mayor of Saint-Josse Ten Noode, for public safety reasons. The conference was organized by an Orban-friendly think tank and aimed to discuss national conservatism. The gathering attracted criticism from Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo who described the police intervention as 'unacceptable' and noted that municipal autonomy is a cornerstone of Belgian democracy.

The event had been criticized by anti-fascist groups, leading to small protests outside the venue. About 40 people gathered and chanted anti-fascist slogans around 5:30 p.m., but they remained about 300 feet from the conference venue and were watched by police in riot gear.

The speakers included Orbán, Farage, French far-right candidate Eric Zemmour, and Suella Braverman. Organizers said they would pursue legal action against the mayor's order to shut down the event.

Orban took to social media to accuse Belgian police of trying to silence free speech and criticize Brussels authorities for their actions. He also claimed that European elites were attempting to cancel elected officials and other people from having conversations.

The conference had struggled to find a venue, with two options falling through before organizers landed on the Claridge event space not far from the European Quarter. The last-minute venue change was framed by organizers and speakers as evidence of a campaign of censorship against conservatives around the world.

Despite being cancelled, Farage appeared to be in good spirits, declaring that he had never been happier. He saw this as an example of cancel culture and felt relevant again.


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Confidence

90%

Doubts
  • Are there any potential counterarguments to the claims made by Orbán and Farage regarding free speech and cancel culture?
  • How accurate are the allegations of censorship made by the speakers?
  • What is the full extent of public backlash against this event, both in Belgium and internationally?

Sources

94%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Brussels police shut down hard-right gathering with Orbán and Farage

Euronews Tuesday, 16 April 2024 00:00
  • Unique Points
    • A gathering of hard-right, nationalist European politicians in Brussels was disrupted and shut down by police on public safety grounds.
    • Key figures attending the event included Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, French far-right candidate Eric Zemmour, and former Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.
    • The conference was set to take place at the Claridge venue in the Saint-Josse Ten Noode neighbourhood of Brussels.
    • Emir Kir, mayor of Saint-Josse Ten Noode, ordered a halt to the event to guarantee public safety.
  • Accuracy
    • Brussels police ordered closure of National Conservatism Conference.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (85%)
    The article contains several instances of appeals to authority and inflammatory rhetoric. The author quotes various individuals making statements that criticize or support the decision to shut down the event, but does not provide any analysis or context beyond these statements. This lack of critical thinking and evaluation on the part of the author lowers the score.
    • 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.
    • , The far right is not welcome.
    • We have seen this over decades happening here in Belgium.
    • It's a totalitarian system. People in power cannot mis-use this power to shut events down.
  • Bias (95%)
    The article does not directly express bias towards any specific political ideology or individual. However, the author does use language that depicts the attendees of the conference as 'hard-right,' 'far-right,' and 'nationalist European politicians.' This language can be perceived as negative and biased, but it is not extreme enough to warrant a score below 95. The article also includes quotes from Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo criticizing the police's intervention, which could be seen as an attempt to present a balanced perspective.
    • A Brussels gathering of hard-right, nationalist European politicians was disrupted on Tuesday after police moved in to try to force its shutdown.
      • The far right is not welcome.
      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication

      74%

      The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
      (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

      A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

      Nigel Farage is cancelled at last and he’s never been happier | John Crace

      theguardian.com Article URL: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/13/ pakistan-·coalition-·agrees-to-form-government John Crace Tuesday, 16 April 2024 18:08
      • Unique Points
        • Nigel Farage was cancelled from speaking at a National Conservatism conference in Brussels
        • Three police officers refused entry to the conference venue, preventing attendees from entering
        • Nigel Farage declared this to be an example of cancel culture and felt relevant again
      • Accuracy
        • Brussels police ordered closure of National Conservatism Conference
      • Deception (30%)
        The article contains editorializing and emotional manipulation. The author uses language such as 'beatific bordering on ecstasy', 'sad bandwagon', 'niche lineup', and 'slow death foretold' to elicit an emotional response from the reader. The author also makes assumptions about the audience, implying that they are uninterested in the speakers and only care about Nigel Farage's reaction to being cancelled.
        • For about 20 minutes or so. Then Nige sloped off in his car and the conference could glide back to obscurity.
        • It was late morning when Nige stepped up to give his keynote speech. What had happened in the previous couple of hours was anyone's guess.
        • You've seldom seen Nigel Farage look quite so happy. Beatific bordering on ecstasy.
      • Fallacies (75%)
        The author uses inflammatory rhetoric by referring to Nigel Farage and his supporters as 'superannuated rightwingers' and 'unelected elites'. He also makes a dichotomous depiction of the EU as a project of peace versus a project of power.
        • They're shutting us down,
        • This is cancel culture.
        • For about 20 minutes or so.
        • Like Nige, she only knows she's alive when she's in front of a camera.
      • Bias (80%)
        The author expresses a clear bias towards Nigel Farage and his views, referring to him as 'happy' and 'excited' about being cancelled. The author also uses derogatory language towards Farage and the attendees of the conference, such as 'superannuated rightwingers', 'humourless German socialists', and 'unelected elites'. The author also expresses a negative attitude towards Farage's speech topics, such as Brussels being the centre of globalist power and drone attacks against Israel.
        • But Liz was not yet done as she made a rare Commons appearance for the smoking debate... She felt it was profoundly unconservative to try to stop people killing themselves.
          • For the first time in ages, Nige felt relevant again. He was important. People were listening to him.
            • You've seldom seen Nigel Farage look quite so happy. Beatific bordering on ecstasy.
            • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication
            • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication

            81%

            The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
            (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

            A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

            Conference featuring Europe’s far-right elites faces shutdown order

            The Fixing Site: A Summary of the Article. Emily Rauhala Tuesday, 16 April 2024 14:42
            • Unique Points
              • About 40 people showed up outside conference venue and chanted anti-fascist slogans around 5:30 p.m.
            • Accuracy
              • Brussels mayor ordered shutdown of 'national conservatism' conference
              • Emir Kir, mayor of Saint-Josse Ten Noode, ordered a halt to the event to guarantee public safety
              • >Emir Kir, mayor of Etterbeek, issued an order to ban the conference to guarantee public safety<
            • Deception (30%)
              The article contains selective reporting as it only reports details that support the author's position of the far-right elites being 'rail[ing] against cancel culture and Brussels overreach'. The author also uses emotional manipulation by describing the actions of Belgian authorities as an attempt to 'cancel free speech' and a campaign of censorship against conservatives. Additionally, there is a lack of disclosure regarding sources for some quotes in the article.
              • It is an attempt to cancel free speech.
              • to cancel elected officials and other people from getting together for conversations.
              • The far-right is not welcome in the city.
            • Fallacies (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication
            • Bias (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication
            • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication
            • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication

            65%

            The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
            (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

            A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

            Brussels police order closure of right-wing National Conservatism Conference attended by Nigel Farage and Suella Braverman

            The Independent Jabed Ahmed Tuesday, 16 April 2024 18:30
            • Unique Points
              • Emir Kir, mayor of Etterbeek, issued an order to ban the conference to guarantee public safety
              • Conference organizers launched a legal challenge against the mayor's order
              • Keynote speakers included Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban, Bishop, European royal families, international businessmen and women, politicians and leaders of parties winning European elections in June
            • Accuracy
              • >Emir Kir, mayor of Etterbeek, issued an order to ban the conference to guarantee public safety<
              • >Police arrived during Nigel Farage's speech<
              • >Braverman suggested the UK could leave the ECHR with a prime minister's letter giving six months notice to Council of Europe
            • Deception (30%)
              The author uses emotional manipulation by labeling the conference attendees as 'right-wing' and 'far right' multiple times. The author also engages in selective reporting by only mentioning the political affiliations of those attending the conference without providing any context or information about their views or speeches. Additionally, there is a lie by omission as the author fails to mention that Emir Kir, the mayor of Etterbeek, had previously granted permission for the conference to take place before revoking it due to security concerns.
              • No politician should be sharing the stage with an ally of Vladimir Putin as he carries out his barbaric invasion of Ukraine.
              • Police in Brussels have stormed a right-wing conference attended by Nigel Farage and Suella Braverman after orders for the event to be shut down.
              • The police entered the venue on our invitation, saw the proceedings and the press corps, and quickly withdrew. Is it possible they witnessed how peaceful the event is?
              • Ms Braverman, the former home secretary, and Mr Farage, the former Ukip leader, were among the political names advertised to speak at the event on Tuesday alongside right-wing Hungarian autocrat Viktor Orban.
            • Fallacies (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication
            • Bias (10%)
              The author uses language that depicts the attendees of the conference as 'right-wing', 'far right', and 'controversial'. He also quotes Emir Kir, the mayor of the area where the conference was held, who states that 'the far right is not welcome' in his region. These statements demonstrate a clear bias against those attending the conference.
              • 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.’
                • Police in Brussels have stormed a right-wing conference attended by Nigel Farage and Suella Braverman after orders for the event to be shut down.
                • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                  None Found At Time Of Publication
                • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                  None Found At Time Of Publication