NatCon Brussels: Police move to shut down conference due to hear from Suella Braverman and Nigel Farage

Authorities in Brussels attempted to shut down a right-wing conference featuring British politicians which include Nigel Farage and Suella Braverman. Emir Kir, the mayor of Saint-Josse-ten-Noode district in Brussels, issued a ban order on the National Conservatism conference for Tuesday (April 16) citing "public safety" as the reason. He said: "In Etterbeek, in Brussels City, and in Saint-Josse, the far-right is not welcome."

The conference had faced venue cancellations due to public pressure, with organisers accusing Brussels mayor Philippe Close of attempting to "cancel" their event. Reports on social media showed police arrived during Farage's speech, giving attendees 15 minutes to leave. Although police entered the venue, they didn't shut down the event, allowing speeches to continue.

Organisers plan to challenge Kir's order legally, saying: "There's no public disturbance or reason to shut down a gathering of politicians, intellectuals, and concerned citizens." They pointed out that police even witnessed the peaceful proceedings and press coverage before leaving.

They also claimed police stopped people from entering and blocked food and water deliveries to the conference. Criticising the Brussels authorities, Farage said they acted "like the old Soviet Union."

In a video on social media, Mr Farage said: “At the meeting, over the next two days, you’ve got the prime minister of Hungary, you’ve got a bishop, you’ve got members of the European royal families coming, well-known international businessmen and women, politicians, leaders of parties that will win European elections in countries this year in June. And yet, because they are questioning the ever-closer union, because they are questioning globalism, they are literally being shut down.”

The conference was also set to hear from Conservative MPs Braverman and Miriam Cates, with Orban scheduled for Wednesday (April 17). There had been calls to prevent Braverman's attendance, with shadow minister Jonathan Ashworth urging the Prime Minister to deny a platform to "divisive and dangerous individuals."

Previously, under Boris Johnson's government in 2020, Conservative Daniel Kawczynski faced criticism for attending a National Conservatism conference in Rome. Both Braverman and Cates had spoken at a similar conference in London last year, which saw disruptions due to protesters.