German court fines woman for picture of left-wing politician with extended right arm
A woman in Bavaria has been fined €2,025 for her poster showing former health minister Karl Lauterbach extending his right arm, insinuating he was performing a…
Free speech
Latest reporting and analysis on free speech.
Litmus test for Christian views? Finland’s top court to hear MP Räsänen free speech case
Finland’s Supreme Court is preparing to hold an oral hearing in the high-profile free speech case of former Interior Minister and Christian Democrat MP Päivi…
German police launch mass raids on suspected ‘criminal post’ writers
Police in Germany have executed more than 170 operations targeting people they referred to as "digital arsonists".
German court overturns ban on ‘far-right magazine Compact’
A German court on June 24 overturned a ban on the "far-right Compact magazine", which had been imposed by the government last year.
German literature forum cancels author over article for ‘right-wing’ news site
A non-profit organisation in Berlin has erased the recording of a young German author’s reading from its website, after he casually revealed he had written an…
US rapper Kanye West faces backlash ahead of Slovakia show due to ‘Hitler’ song
Grammy-winning US rapper Kanye West was facing growing opposition in Slovakia ahead of his scheduled performance at the Rubicon Festival in the capital Bratislava…
German who ‘insulted’ ex-minister fined for social media posts
Stefan Niehoff, 64, whose home was raided last November after he reposted an “insulting” meme on X, has been found guilty on “speech crime” charges and fined…
St John of Patmos saw it coming: EU digital identity will know everything
In Patmos, where the Evangelist John foresaw a “mark” controlling trade, a shopkeeper scans her phone to pay taxes.
Council of Europe human rights chief warns ‘free speech under threat’ in Germany
Council of Europe Commissioner on Human Rights Michael O’Flaherty has expressed concern about limits on free speech and peaceful assembly in Germany.
Austria mulls mandatory social media age checks following school shootings
The Austrian Government has proposed measures to tighten online freedom and access to social media.
US mulls visa restrictions on European officials for ‘censoring speech’
US Department of State officials have warned Irish regulators that if they censor speech, they could face visa restrictions.
Budapest Mayor aims to hold Pride parade, despite police ban
Gergely Karácsony, the Greens Mayor of Budapest, said he wanted to host the Pride parade in his city, despite a police ban and objections from the national government.
Greek rail drivers strike over safety concerns
Greek rail drivers on June 17 held a 24-hour strike to demand sweeping safety improvements, ahead of a parliamentary vote on investigating top officials for the…
‘Masculinist influencer’ taunts French minister after TikTok ban lifted
French influencer Alex Hitchens, known for his controversial masculinist views, has returned to TikTok after a brief ban that followed his appearance before the…
Interrogation, arrest, prosecution: Free speech does not exist in Europe
On June 5 in Brussels, a duo were arrested for disturbing the peace. The pair, a man and a woman, were not assaulting anyone, nor were they threatening anyone.
French journalists’ group demands commentator’s dismissal over ‘hateful remarks’
The French Society of Journalists (SDJ) representing members at TV news channels BFM and RMC has called for the dismissal of the commentator Barbara Lefebvre over…
At least 10 people die in shooting spree at Austrian school
A shooting spree at a secondary school in Graz, Austria’s second city, has left at least 10 people dead and 28 injured, some of whom were in critical condition.
France sees spike in VPN demand after withdrawal of major porn sites
Several VPN providers have reported a notable increase in user demand following the recent withdrawal of several pornographic websites in France, including Pornhub…
German YouTuber fined €16,000 for alleged use of Nazi phrase
Tim Heldt, a popular German YouTuber posting under the synonym Kuchen TV, has been ordered to pay a fine of €16,000 by authorities in Oldenburg (Lower Saxony)…
Billboard Chris arrested in Brussels for wanting to talk about gender ideology
Chris Elston, aka Billboard Chris, who advocated for child protection against "gender ideology", has been arrested in the centre of Brussels for not removing a sign…
‘Freedom under attack in the US,’ claims German minister
There was a growing risk of a global culture war amid rising anti-freedom tendencies among world powers, warned Wolfram Weimer, Germany's Minister of State for Culture,…
EU ‘Patriots’ rally around Orbán in Budapest
Trumpism appears to have crossed the Atlantic and raised spirits in Europe's nationalist camp, to judge by speakers at the opening day of the CPAC conference in…
Meta shuts out identitarians and nationalists across Europe
Meta, the owner of Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp, has closed down pages from identitarians and nationalists across Europe.
How calling a German finance minister a ‘moron’ leads to cops and criminal charges
Stefan Niehoff, a 64-year-old retiree and former sergeant in the Bundeswehr, became something of an overnight sensation in Germany last year after police showed…
MEPs and experts call for Commission to tackle DSA’s free speech concerns
Cross-party members of the European Parliament and free speech advocates gathered in the European Parliament May 21 to urge the European Commission to review the…
EU spends more on policing speech than transnational cancer research
The EU has given €650 million to projects combating so-called 'hate speech' and 'disinformation', one third more than it has given to transnational cancer research…
Polish state TV bans photos of its buildings
Poland’s government-controlled broadcaster TVP (Telewizja Polska) has placed new notices warning photographers they may not photograph the corporation’s headquarters…
Statue of Venus removed from Berlin government office after ‘sexism’ complaint by Equal Opportunities Commissioner
An historic sculpture of the Venus de' Medici has been removed from a Berlin government building at the request of equal opportunities officers who argued its presence…
Road safety before religion: German court forbids woman to drive car wearing a Niqab
A German court has ruled that it is illegal to drive while wearing a niqab–a Muslim headgear covering most of the wearer’s face.
Hate speech or free speech? How rapper Ye’s ‘Heil Hitler’ exposes Big Tech dilemma
Controversial rap artist Ye’s latest track, Heil Hitler, was promptly banned from Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube upon its May 8 release but in just 24 hours…