Overview

• Belgian police temporarily closed the National Conservatism Conference in Brussels on orders from Mayor Emir Kir, citing public safety.
• The shutdown sparked international backlash, with critics accusing the mayor of suppressing free speech and peaceful assembly.
• Belgium's supreme administrative court intervened, ruling that the conference could resume, highlighting the constitutional guarantee of freedom of speech.
• Prominent figures, including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and British politician Nigel Farage, were among the speakers at the resumed event.
• The incident has ignited debates over the state of free speech and political expression in Europe, drawing attention from global leaders and media.