Belgian police shut down a far-right conference as it rallies ahead of Europe's June elections
Belgian police have shut down a gathering of far-right politicians and supporters, citing concerns about public order
BRUSSELS (AP) — Belgian police shut down a gathering of far-right politicians and supporters on Tuesday, citing concerns about public order, while attendees protested curbs on free speech and vowed to find another venue for the second day of their meeting.
The annual National Conservative conference, held this year in Brussels, comes ahead of Europe-wide elections. As campaigning for the June 6-9 event heats up, mainstream parties fear that disenchanted voters might turn to the people at NatCon 2024.
“This is what we’re up against. We’re up against a new form of evil ideology," Nigel Farage, the man credited with taking Britain out of the European Union, told the gathering of a few hundred stridently nationalist and fundamentalist Christian politicians and think-tankers.
British and Belgian leaders expressed concern the event had been forced to close. A spokeswoman for Rishi Sunak said the British prime minister found reports police had shut down the National Conservatives conference “extremely disturbing.”
