Those behind attempts to censor the National Conservatism conference in Brussels are a “danger to democracy”, Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has said.
In a statement read out to the event — which had been declared illegal on Tuesday, April 16, before a court overturned the ruling — Meloni decried attempts to censor a law-abiding gathering.
“As soon as I heard the news coming from this place, I contacted the Prime Minister of Belgium, Alexander De Croo, to ask him to take an interest in what was happening,” her statement — read out Fratelli d’Italia MEP Nicola Procaccini — said.
"People from the political Right are being politically persecuted in Western countries," @HGMaassen tells Brussels Signal's @Peter_Caddle at #NatConBrussels2. pic.twitter.com/gbpxXit2ZH
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) April 17, 2024
While she praised the Belgian PM’s indignant response to the censorship, she expressed concern that such an attempt to cancel the conference was made in the first place.
“This absurd story calls into question non-negotiable values,” she said.
“Values, such as freedom of thought, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and association — even more so when they do not conflict with any law — are inscribed in our democratic constitutions and cannot be trampled upon. Neither now nor ever.”
“Whoever is responsible for this is the heir to a culture of totalitarianism,” she added. “Those nostalgic for that period are — yes they are — a danger to our democracies.”
Meloni went on to warn that the “virus” of totalitarianism remained very real today, and that Tuesday’s attempted cancellation showed it was at risk of spreading.
“We will have to be ready to always, always, always stand up for freedom,” she said. “First for others, then for ourselves, if we want to build a dignified future for our children.”
"He wanted to use the Belgian police as a private militia to silence his political opponents!"
France's @ZemmourEric tells @Peter_Caddle that Brussels' local mayor @emir_kir "wanted to apply the methods of Erdogan" to suppress free speech.#NatConBrussels2 pic.twitter.com/kCcuKveDWs
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) April 17, 2024
