Fight for Freedom

I need to share with you, what just happened.

You won’t believe the chaos I just experienced here in Brussels.

The National Conservatism Conference (NatCon) is a yearly gathering of public figures, scholars, politicians and organizations to discuss key political issues threatening traditional values.

We were there to gauge how our core values are being perceived and discussed within these circles. 

It’s always crucial for us to understand which aspects of our values are being embraced and which are neglected by conservative leaders, especially since not all champion our causes as firmly as they might profess.

Well this year, the focus was on promoting national sovereignty with conservative ideals.

I’m actually still quite rattled. Picture this – day one, we’re all looking forward to kick off what is one of the major conservative conferences of the year.

With the event underway, I started to notice quite an uproar going on outside.

I didn’t think too much of it – probably just the usual leftist lunatics protesting a conservative gathering – something I’ve seen all too often.

However, things started to get serious, just as guest speaker Nigel Farage, a key architect of the Brexit movement and a notable conservative figure in European politics, took the stage.

Well, he was about 5 minutes into his speech when, out of nowhere, the police stormed the place and completely ordered the event to be shut down immediately.

They completely sealed off the front entrance too!

With continuous commotion taking place by the entrance, we continued, ignoring their presence, as we knew we were doing nothing wrong, and certainly nothing illegal.

I think everyone very quickly agreed to do the same – to NOT vacate the premises, but instead make them throw us out, and show the world what they’re capable of doing!

In the meantime, Farage kept talking amid the unfolding drama, blasting the Brussels authorities for their “monstrous” attempt to silence us.

And believe it or not, they even tried to cut the power to stop him!

It felt like a real stand-off, the kind where you know you’re witnessing something big.

They weren’t going to use force, but they weren’t letting anyone new in either. So, while we were locked in, the venue turned into a fortress of sorts, with us stuck inside. 

Even the food became part of the siege drama. Our original caterers got blocked, so we ended up “smuggling” in snacks just to keep everyone fed. Talk about an adventure!

While the event continued into the afternoon, the venue was surrounded by police – it meant we were not allowed to leave and some speakers and guests outside were even denied access.

Quite the chilling scene, wouldn’t you say?

At this point, the police kept insisting they were acting out of concern for public safety, hinting at potential disruptions due to a planned counter-protest. 

But really, I think they were just embarrassed at how outrageous their morning intervention had been.

This was my view from the inside, of the front entrance. Just mindblowing!

Thankfully, the owner of the venue, a brave soul, struck a last-minute deal to keep the event going, despite massive pressure from the authorities to close it down.

It’s been a rollercoaster, to say the least. 

By nightfall, we weren’t even sure if we’d be let back in the next day.

But then, just when things looked bleak, the Belgian administrative Court upheld the emergency challenge that was made, and ruled in favour of us, in the early hours of the following morning.

The intrusion by the police was under the orders of Emir Kir, Mayor of this district of Brussels, claiming that the conference hosted personalities from “the conservative, religious right”.

And … wait for it … that [NatCon’s] vision was “not only ethically conservative – but also, hostile to the legalization of abortion, same-sex unions, etc. and in favor of national sovereignty”.

I cannot get my head around this – just blatantly doing everything possible to silence a different narrative to theirs – nothing short of totalitarianism put into direct effect!

But make no mistake – the clamp-down on this conference goes way deeper than just the orders of a leftist district mayor.

I think it was an eye-opener that you just can’t do certain things in Brussels. 

I know this place very well  – I’ve worked here for some years, and trust me, this is a deeply intolerant place. 

If you come to Brussels with a different point of view, if you question the whole project of the EU, they will literally try to shut you down, and I can tell you, I have experienced this firsthand.

It’s crazy how quickly things escalated, and it’s a bit scary to think that this isn’t just happening here. I heard about a similar crackdown in Switzerland last month, and across Europe, it’s becoming all the more common. 

While justice did finally tip in our favor, the events that transpired have really left a dark stain on what is often celebrated as European democracy. 

The events of #April16 were a stark reminder of how fragile our freedoms can be, and how quickly they can be challenged, especially for people like us, who express the values we believe in.

We must remain vigilant. 

The kind of authoritarian censorship I’ve just witnessed belongs in the dark chapters of Europe’s history, not in today’s society.

We must continue to stand firm and advocate for these essential characteristics of democracy, every single day.

For now, I’m just happy and relieved we could hold our ground and keep our dialogue alive, against all odds. But seriously, nothing is for granted.

That’s it from me, for now.