European rightwing parties rally stopped by cops

(ANSA) - ROME, APR 16 - Belgian police on Tuesday interrupted the Brussels National Conservatism Conference featuring Permier Giorgia Meloni's Brothers of Italy (FdI) party and other members of the FdI-led Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) caucus as well as other hard right leaders including Hungary's Viktor Orban, but organisers said it would resume Wednesday with speakers including ECR Chair and FdI MEP Nicola Procaccini.
    Orban, too, is among Tuesday's speakers.
    The Brussels police stopped the event on public order concerns.
    Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said on X he deplored the police decision at the Claridge event venue.
    "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," De Croos said.
    The confab was stopped while former UKIP leader Nigel Farage, now honorary president of Reform UK, was speaking along with hardline Conservative former Home Secretary Suella Braverman.
    Spanish Vox party MEP Hermann Tertsch called the interruption of proceedings a "disgrace" and asked "where are we, in China, in Venezuela?" Orban, for his part, said "Belgium is like the Communists, but we won't give up".
    The Hungarian Premier is a friend and ally of Meloni's, and is set to join the ECR.
    Former Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said "the last time I saw such censorship was in the time of Communism".
    Britain's Tory party said leader Rishi Sunak was a "strong supporter and defender of freedom of speech and thinks this principle must be fundamental for any democracy".
    photo: French far right leader Eric Zemmour stopped from entry into Claridge venuel by cops (ANSA).