B

Brussels’ hypocrisy: How Brussels police curtailed free speech at the National Conservatism Conference

Yesterday, in an unprecedented display of authority, the Brussels police disrupted the National Conservatism Conference where Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was set to speak, sending shockwaves through the corridors of European power and the conservative circles gathered in Brussels.

As anticipated, the mainstream media quickly donned a cloak of righteousness, lauding the interruption as a necessary measure for public order, conspicuously aligning with the leftist agenda that seems ever so eager to mute conservative voices.

But let's delve deeper, shall we? The real crux lies not in the purported threats of disorder but in a transparent attempt to silence a burgeoning conservative dialogue in the heart of Europe.

"Free speech no longer tolerated in Brussels," might as well have been the headline, echoing the sentiment PM Orbán expressed following the police shutdown. He drew parallels to his struggles against communism in 1988, highlighting the ongoing battle for conservative ideologies within EU territories.

The stark response to the conference by the Brussels police speaks volumes about the current state of freedom in Europe. Barely two hours after the event kicked off, officials arrived, abruptly halting Nigel Farage's keynote address, citing vague security concerns that many see as a thin veil for political suppression.

PM Orbán's subsequent remarks in the European Parliament resonated deeply with the day's events. He argued for keeping asylum seekers outside EU borders until their applications are processed, a stance that ruffles feathers among EU bureaucrats who prefer their open-border policy. However, according to PM Orbán, this is a red line for the EU's migration policy to function effectively.

Notably, the conference shutdown reflects a broader issue that the prime minister and his allies frequently criticize: the EU's drift towards bureaucratic coercion over democratic consultation. The majority vote mechanism, often bypassing unanimous consent, demonstrates this shift, undermining the foundational principles of the Union.

Further complicating matters, Soros and his network were named by PM Orbán as orchestrating legal and societal pressure against nationalist movements within Europe, a claim that intensifies the ideological warfare between liberal and conservative forces across the continent.

Yet, amidst the clamor and opposition, conservative dialogue refuses to be quelled. Balázs Orbán, the prime minister’s political director, took to social media to highlight the hypocrisy of the Brussels left, emphasizing that exchanging ideas and engaging in conversations—core tenets of free speech—are now viewed as radical acts.

With upcoming European Parliament elections, the suppression at the conference could be a harbinger of intensified conflicts over Europe's ideological future. The stakes are nothing short of the continent's democratic integrity and the preservation of diverse political discourse.

The narrow view of what constitutes acceptable speech and who gets to determine its boundaries is becoming ever more apparent in Brussels. As Prime Minister Orbán poignantly stated, the battle for Europe's soul is not just about policy but about the very essence of freedom and democracy. And to save democracy from bureaucracy, we need a change in Brussels. And we need it now.