Belgian PM takes flak over late response to NatCon event cancellation attempt
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo has come under fire in Parliament for allegedly failing to act when Brussels mayors wanted to cancel the National Conservatism…
Free speech
Latest reporting and analysis on free speech.
Thank you Emir, for playing Sultan
Having been a speaker at the 2022 National Conservatism conference in Brussels, there are two things I can say without hesitation.
Remember Andropov: How the attempt to kill NatCon paves the way for more censorship
Let me introduce younger readers to Yuri Andropov, leader of the Soviet Union from 1982 to 1984, and Soviet ambassador to Hungary from 1954 to 1957, during which…
NatCon: Belgian court overturns local mayor’s decision to ban event, ‘Free speech has prevailed’
The organisers behind the National Conservatism conference have won their appeal in court against local mayor Emir Kir. The event is allowed to go on.
Left-wing mayor using police as ‘private militia’ to shut down conference: Zemmour
Municipality mayor Emir Kir ordered the shutting of the National Conservatism conference over alleged "public safety" concerns, though added in his announcement…
Brussels mayor ‘threatens to cut power to conservative event’
A Brussels mayor has threatened to cut power to a conservative conference taking place in the city.
Brussels conservative conference kicks off despite cancellation attempts by protestors
The National Conservatism conference, which includes speakers such as Hungary Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, former UKIP leader Nigel Farage and hard-right French…
Brussels mayor ‘collaborating’ with extremists to disrupt conservative event
Brussels' socialist mayor is "collaborating" with extremists on the political Left to disrupt a conservative conference, organisers of the event have claimed.
Irish leader resigns and youngest-ever PM appointed amid EU-linked legislation pressures
Ireland's Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar has officially resigned his position amid growing concerns nationally about European Union-linked legislation.
Biden administration issues statement ‘supporting’ EU Digital Services Act
US President Joe Biden's administration has been accused of issuing a statement "supporting" the European Union's Digital Services Act (DSA), despite repeated warnings…
Polish Government proposes prison for LGBT defamation
The proposed legislation has been piloted by deputy justice minister Krzysztof Śmiszek of the Left party, which is part of the coalition Government with Prime Minister…
Spain was hours from banning Telegram because judge ‘did not know what it was’
Spain, which was at the point of banning the Telegram app this week, backtracked on the decision after searches for VPNs skyrocketed.
Paris headmaster resigns after death threats for asking student to remove her veil
A Paris headmaster resigned on March 26, after receiving death threats for asking a student to remove her veil before taking an exam.
Swedish rescue workers given bulletproof vests
High crime levels in Sweden are pushing rescue workers to drastic measures; those in the city of Uppsala, near Stockholm, will be equipped with bulletproof vests.
Can the EU learn from Britain’s ‘extremism crackdown’? Not giving public money to Islamists is long overdue, but the new definitions could be used against conservatives
In an effort to “keep our citizens safe and our country secure”, Britain’s Conservative government has announced a new definition of extremism.
‘Europe has too many rules’ former president Obama tells awe-struck festival-goers
Former US president Barack Obama had some criticism for Europe during his weekend visit to Belgium.
German businessman contests his €6,000 fine for mocking Green politicians
A German entrepreneur will now go to court, to contest a fine he received for mocking Green politicians.
UK redefines ‘extremism’ as hate-crime surges
Britain instigated its new definition of "extremism" designed to counter a surge in hate crime.
Pornhub puts up stiff opposition to EC over size measurement
Pornography website Pornhub’s parent company Aylo has accused the European Commission of exaggerating the platform's size.
European press-freedom under serious threat as journalists intimidated, report finds
The Platform to Promote the Protection of Journalism and Safety of Journalists, a Council of Europe partner, warned against increasing abuse of journalists in its…
Exclusive: Holocaust survivor content binned in Polish public TV ‘revolution’
A Polish TV interview with the UK's Lord (Daniel) Finkelstein recounting the rescue of his family members by Polish diplomats during the Second World War, has been…
AI-created fakery rears its ugly head in Russia as Kremlin elections near
Generative AI has made its first widespread appearance in 2024 in Russia, ahead of presidential elections in the country.
Is it OK for Big Tech to censor Donald Trump? What the US Supreme Court decides in a free-speech case could determine what Europeans can say on social media
Despite what the European Union's boosters may wish, Big Tech is still overwhelmingly headquartered in the US.
Italian Army General suspended and demoted over controversial book
Italian Army General Roberto Vannacci has been suspended from employment for 11 months over a "lack of a sense of responsibility" regarding a book he published last…
Encryption and child sexual material: Brussels struggling to digest ECHR ruling
"It is clear that the EU should, of course, cease its efforts towards the statutory obligation to decrypt end-to-end communications," Mikuláš Peksa, Czech MEP…
Don’t send Julian Assange to the United States. That would be a crime – destroying a few Picassos and Warhols is not
A Russian artist, who in the historic way of Russian artists manages to live in Paris, is threatening to destroy pictures by Picasso and Warhol if Julian Assange…
ECHR: Laws weakening encrypted communications breach human rights
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has made a new landmark decision, ruling that laws that weaken data protection violate human rights.
Berlin claims censoring ‘hate’ benefits online freedom of speech
The German Government has claimed that one way to enhance freedom of speech within the country would be through tighter controls regarding "hate" online.
MEPs grill ‘digital enforcer’ Breton over ‘Stalinist censorship’
"We must not allow neo-Marxists in Europe to destroy free speech because they want to impose their vision of the world on us," one opponent said
The EU’s ‘hate speech’ laws are an attack on free speech itself: This year’s European elections may be the last chance to defend our rights
After last November’s attack on a Dublin Catholic school, graffiti reading “Irish lives matter” appeared on the Falls Road in West Belfast.