An
international right-wing conference in Brussels has been allowed to go
ahead on its second day after a ban by the local mayor was overturned.
Belgium's
top administrative court said in an overnight ruling that the ban
violated the country's constitutional right to peaceful assembly.
Mayor Emir Kir had said he wanted to ensure public security.
But Mr Kir later confirmed the conference would go ahead - although he said he would remain "vigilant".
Brexiteer
Nigel Farage, Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban and several other
right-wing European politicians are attending the event.
Legal
advocacy organisation ADF, which backed the organisers of the National
Conservatism conference, said that Tuesday's events were "a dark mark on
European democracy".
"No
official should have the power to shut down free and peaceful assembly
merely because he disagrees with what is being said," ADF added.
French
far-right politician Eric Zemmour, who was prevented from entering the
venue on Tuesday, told reporters on site: "Thanks to God, thanks to the
pressure we exerted, thanks to the scandal in all of Europe, Europe has
shown that it was still the continent of liberal democracy and of the
rule of law."
People
were stopped from entering the conference a few hours after it began on
Tuesday morning, although it continued for those inside.
Police blocked the entrance to the venue and did not permit anyone to enter, although people were allowed to leave.
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo had said shutting down the conference was "unacceptable".
"Banning political meetings is unconstitutional. Full stop," Mr De Croo wrote on X.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called reports of police action "extremely disturbing".
His
spokesperson said he believed cancelling events or preventing
attendance and no-platforming speakers was "damaging to free speech and
to democracy as a result".
The
UK's Mr Farage, who spoke at the event on Tuesday morning, condemned
the decision to shut it down as an attempt to stifle free speech.
As well as Mr Orban, former Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki is due to speak at the event on Wednesday.
About
100 people, including members of group called the "Antifascist
co-ordination of Belgium", protested outside the Claridge venue where
the conference was held on Tuesday evening. No scuffles or issues were
reported.
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