European Epicenter Deploys Riot Police To Stop Conservatives From Talking
It’s unthinkable that an emergency legal challenge had to be mounted to gather in peace in the political heart of Europe.It’s unthinkable that an emergency legal challenge had to be mounted to gather in peace in the political heart of Europe.In Postliberal Brussels, A Mayor Sends Police To Shut Down NatCon
This is what the postliberal, post-Christian era looks like: police in riot gear, cracking down on a peaceful assembly.'Like the old Soviet Union': Socialist shutdown of National Conservatism event featuring Orbán and Farage backfires
Police stormed the National Conservatism conference in Brussels Tuesday and barricaded the doors on the orders of a leftist mayor. The clampdown was demanded and celebrated by Antifa and other extremists who sought to make clear to the world leaders, lawmakers, and intellectuals inside that they were not welcome to openly discuss the conservation of their respective nation-states.
The shutdown backfired greatly, not only confirming attendees' suspicions that leftists are animated by totalitarian energies and that post-national liberals will become increasingly authoritarian as their influence wanes, but causing a significant international stir.
In the face of immense backlash over the socialist clampdown on free speech, Belgium's supreme administrative court and the Belgian prime minister intervened in the conservatives' favor.
Prime Minister Alexander De Croo noted on X, "What happened at the Claridge today is unacceptable. Municipal autonomy is a cornerstone of our democracy but can never overrule the Belgian constitution guaranteeing the freedom of speech and peaceful assembly since 1830. Banning political meetings is unconstitutional. Full stop."
Meanwhile, foreign leaders — including the British and Italian prime ministers — and multitudes of critics worldwide blasted the attempt to thwart the efforts of patriots to prevent their respective nations from becoming pseudo-states like Belgium.
Times of London columnist Melanie Phillips, who took the stage upon the defiant resumption of the event Wednesday, summarized the scandal thusly: "I feel a bit of history has been made here in the last day or so. What's happened here at this conference is that this process of silencing us has been dramatized in such a spectacular fashion that even the Belgian prime minister has denounced it along with [Prime Minister] Rishi Sunak in Britain, various German politicians, and a chorus of condemnation condemnation across the board and across continents."
"Talk about an own-goal," continued Phillips. "At a stroke, ideological enemies have shown that it is in fact the left that is intolerant and oppressive and a threat to democracy and a dictatorial risk to freedom and national cosnervativism is now the resistance."
"At a stroke, our ideological enemies have shown that it is, in fact, the Left that is intolerant and oppressive and a threat to democracy and a dictatorial risk to freedom. And National Conservatism is now the resistance."\n-@MelanieLatest #NatConBrussels2— (@)
Background
The NatCon conference is a project of the Edmund Burke Foundation and is chaired by Israeli-American philosopher Yoram Hazony.
The project defines "National Conservatism" as "a movement of public figures, journalists, scholars, and students who understand that the past and future of conservatism are inextricably tied to the idea of the nation, to the principle of national independence, and to the revival of the unique national traditions that alone have the power to bind a people together and bring about their flourishing."
Past conferences have taken place across what was once regarded as the free world, in cities such as Orlando, Washington, D.C., London, and Rome. Past guests and speakers included Republican Sens. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), Josh Hawley (Mo.) and Marco Rubio (Fla.); Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis; elements of Blaze Media; and a host of international leaders of various political stripes.
This year, the conference — which counts former British Home Secretary Suella Braverman, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Catholic Cardinal Gerhard Müller, Brexiteer Nigel Farage, and French politician Eric Zemmour among its speakers — had difficulty finding a venue in Brussels hosted by someone with the requisite intestinal fortitude to support free speech.
Politico reported that the conference, this year focused on the theme of "Preserving the Nation-State in Europe," initially secured the Concert Noble, but the host venue pulled out just days ahead of the conference.
Frank Füredi, the executive director of MCC Brussels, the think tank helping organize the event, said, "What has happened in these last few days represents nothing less than a crisis for free speech and political expression for all of Europe."
According to the Brussels Times, communists and other radicals pressured the venue to axe the event to preclude people from discussing and hearing about the fallout of mass migration, climate alarmism, LGBT imperialism, and the erosion of the nation-state.
Another venue caved to leftist pressure, canceling the conference's booking just 20 hours before the event was set to begin, prompting organizers to accuse Brussels' socialist mayor, Philippe Close, of trying to cancel the event for ideological reasons.
Neighboring municipalities also made clear that the conference would not be welcome.
The NatCon conference ultimately found a venue in the Claridge events hall reportedly run by a Tunisian man "who believes in free speech and who did not surrender to the tremendous political pressure to cancel a conservative conference."
Extra to receiving a standing ovation Wednesday, the host was personally thanked by Orbán.
Farage similarly lauded the Tunisian for standing up to the "bullyboys."
The socialist reflex
While the conference overcame the initial cancellation efforts, it still had to deal with the local authorities.
Emir Kir, the socialist mayor of the Brussels suburb Saint-Josse-ten-Noode, announced Tuesday morning that he had "issued an order from the Mayor to ban the 'National Conservatism Conference' event to guarantee public safety. In Etterbeek, Brussels City and Saint-Josse, the far-right is not welcome."
Kir previously indicated he would "immediately take measures to ban" the event.
Police dutifully stormed the event and sealed the entrances, ensuring attendees could not enter.
Here is the police presence outside not letting anybody in and if we leave not letting anybody back in! Insane!— (@)
Police enter venue of Nat Con conference in Brussels to serve a request to close down event. Farage on stage— (@)
Politico indicated that police informed organizers the event was being shut down hours before Nigel Farage's keynote speech.
"It's really something out of a tin-pot dictatorship" Füredi told Politico. "They're trying to use a technical reason to make a political point. They told the owner that if it doesn't get shut down they're gonna cut the electricity."
Farage noted that the socialist mayor's efforts to shut down conservative speech and appease the leftist mob were "like the old Soviet union. No alternative view allowed."
A second wave of officers came by at 12:45 p.m. to hand Anthony Gilland, the event's local organizer, the official shutdown order.
"One of the reasons that we've been given, it's not the only reason, is that there will be a counterprotest this afternoon around about 5 p.m. and the idea is that the police are not able to protect free speech at this event," said Gilland.
An apparent English translation of the shutdown order claims the the event "is likely to cause a serious disturbance of the public peace due to its provocative and discriminatory nature" and that some of the attendees "are reputed to be traditionalists, homophobes, and disrespectful of human rights and minorities; we can also cite an author of controversial works on political Islam."
Hazony announced the event would be "gradually" wound down Tuesday.
NatCon organiser Yoram Hazony announcing the conference would be closed gradually... Nigel Farage and Suella Braverman allowed to speak— (@)
The backlash and conservative triumph
Orbán said in a statement, "The Belgian police decided to shut down the @NatConTalk conference in #Brussels, just two hours after it started. I guess they couldn't take free speech any longer. The last time they wanted to silence me with the police was when the Communists set them on me in '88. We didn't give up then and we will not give up this time either!"
The Guardian reported that Farage told those gathered outside the venue, "I've experienced cancel culture personally here … but what has happened in there on the stage with global media, we can see that legally held opinions from people who are going to win national elections is not longer acceptable here in Brussels, the home of globalism."
"This is the complete old communist style where if you don't agree with me, you've got to be banned, you've got to be shut down," added Farage, who was de-banked last year over his political views.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the shutdown, saying, "What is happening in Brussels leaves us in disbelief and dismay. The mayor of one of the Belgian capital's municipalities has banned a conference, which is scheduled to be attended by heads of government, national and European parliamentarians."
"Following the order, police physically prevented guests and speakers from entering the conference," continued Meloni. "I immediately asked Prime Minister Alexander De Croo of Belgium to follow up on what was happening, and I thank him for his timely and clear stance against the hateful oppression of freedom of expression taking place in Brussels."
A spokesman for British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said, "Speaking more broadly to the principle of such events, he is very clear that canceling events or preventing attendance and no-platforming speakers is damaging to free speech and to democracy as a result."
British parliamentarian and former Home Secretary Suella Braverman tweeted, "It's laughable that the Brussels thought police were sent out to shut down a conference of democratically elected politicians representing the views of millions of people. They clearly didn't want to hear about how we can secure our borders & protect our citizens."
Proponents of the conference challenged the mayoral order with the help of the Christian advocacy group ADF International. Belgium's supreme administrative court said in an emergency session Tuesday that the conference could resume.
ADF International executive director Paul Coleman said in a statement, "While common sense and justice have prevailed, what happened yesterday is 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."
Farage posted a video Wednesday morning wherein he gleefully noted he was on his way to the conference.
"It's still happening!" said Farage, who elsewhere penned an editorial suggesting the scandalous shutdown proved Brexit was a good call for Britons. "The local mayor has had his comeuppance. It's going to be a full house, a load of fun. It's a victory for free speech."
Nigel Farage | Return of the Nation State | NatCon Brussels 2youtu.be
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Hungary refuses to embrace European Union's LGBT activism and migration policies
The European Union wants uniformity of vision and policy among its remaining member states. To this end, bureaucrats in Brussels have worked to crush dissent wherever it crops up. This cultural imperialism has proven ineffective against Hungary, which refuses to embrace the leftist orthodoxies of the day despite facing steep financial penalties for doing so.
Gergely Gulyas, chief of staff for Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, made clear Thursday that while the Hungarian government is open to meeting various EU standards, "it would be undemocratic and unacceptable" to cave on policy issues of importance to the Hungarian people, particularly those concerning LGBT indoctrination and open borders.
What's the background?
In recent years, Hungary and Poland have resisted EU demands concerning various matters of policy and governance. This resistance — the product of mandates dictated by their respective populations through fair and free elections — has been characterized as a violation of both countries' respective EU member agreements promising to uphold democratic standards and common values.
The BBC noted that Orbán's Hungary has been accused of various supposed improprieties, including the curbing of minority rights.
A sticking point for leftists in Brussels as well as the Biden administration has been a law, approved in 2021 by Hungary's National Assembly in a 157-1 vote, which increased the punishment for convicted pedophiles and banned LGBT propaganda targeting children.
Orbán has also drawn the ire of EU officials for limiting the influx of so-called asylum-seekers to Hungary by requiring economic migrants and other foreign nationals to submit pre-asylum applications at its missions to Serbia or Ukraine. Ukrainians fleeing Russia's invasion are, however, exempt, reported Politico.
Brussels has similarly blasted Poland for various policy manifestations of its Christian national identity but accused its former government of undermining the independence of its courts.
To induce compliance, the EU starved both nations of billions of dollars in funding, including pandemic recovery funds that were otherwise given in abundance to other member states. This pressure campaign came to a head in December 2022 when the European Court of Justice ruled that funding was conditional on meeting the EU's so-called democratic standards.
The bloc blocks Hungary
After eight years of resistance with the conservative Law and Justice Party at the helm, Poland appears to be on the verge of capitulation under the new leadership of incoming premier and former European Council President Donald Tusk.
"We have confirmation from the European Commission — Poland meets the last three conditions necessary for the full mobilization of structural funds — €76 billion for the implementation of programs until 2027," Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nalęcz, the funds and regional policy minister, said on Friday.
Budapest, on the other hand, faces a longer road toward appeasement, which Orbán appears uninterested in traveling.
According to EuroNews, Hungary had to meet 27 "super milestones" as well as four additional "horizontal enabling conditions" to receive the whole of the over $32 billion owed to Hungary that has been frozen.
Hungary managed to unlock over $10.9 billion of the funds last month, having apparently addressed the EU's concerns about judicial reform. However, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen suggested last week that Hungary would have cave to LGBT activist demands, guarantee the right of so-called asylum, and bolster academic freedom to thaw out the remainder of the funds, reported Barron's.
The funds "will remain blocked until Hungary fulfills all the necessary conditions," said Leyen.
The European Parliament is not content to even allow Hungary to have the $10.9 billion it is owed. Last week, the legislature reportedly threatened to sue the EU's executive arm over the release of the funds to Hungary. It also raised the possibility of theoretically stripping Budapest of its EU voting rights.
"Parliament will look into whether legal action should be pursued to overturn the decision to partially unfreeze funds, and notes that it can use an array of legal and political measures," the legislature said in a statement.
Digging in
The Hungarian government has underscored that the democratic will of its people is incompatible with so-called democratic standards abroad.
Gergely Gulyas stressed Thursday that there would be "limits" to reaching an agreement with the EU, given what is demanded runs contrary to the will of Hungarian voters, reported the Associated Press.
"The Hungarian government is willing to reach an agreement with the Commission, but in cases where people have expressed a clear opinion, it would be undemocratic and unacceptable," said Gulyas. "For Hungary, even despite the will of the European Commission, it is unacceptable to spread LGBTQ propaganda among children, and we also cannot abandon our position on migration issues."
Orbán indicated in a Friday radio broadcast, "The only thing we can say, very calmly, as a reply is that there there is not enough money in the world to force us to let migrants in. There is not enough money in the world for us to allow them to take away our country. We will not create conditions like we see in Western European states — the threat of terrorism, crime, I could go on and on."
"And there is not enough money in the world for which we would put our children or grandchildren in the hands of LGBTQ activists. That's impossible," added the prime minister.
Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico commended Orbán last week for standing up for his country's sovereignty and indicated further he would shoot down any effort by the European Parliament to wrest away Hungary's voting rights in the legislature.
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Belgian mayor downplays proposal to make Christmastime celebration of St. Nicholas more Arabic and 'intersectional'
A secularist Belgian mayor suggested that his municipality's yearly Christmastime celebration of Saint Nicholas was due for some inclusivity. In what has retroactively been characterized as a joke, Saint-Gilles Mayor Jean Spinette expressed the desire to augment his region's Dec. 6 festivities commemorating the Greek Christian in order catch up with the times and accommodate migrants from Morocco — a 99% Sunni Muslim nation in North Africa that restricts the practice of Christianity and punishes its public adherents.
Dec. 6 marks the death of Saint Nicholas, the 4th-century Greek bishop of Myra whom some revisionists like to think punched the heretic Arius in the face.
Saint Nicholas, the dominant inspiration for the modern-day Santa Claus, was apparently born rich but gave his inheritance to the poor. The bishop is also credited with donating money to a father who was compelled to sell his daughters into prostitution and stopping a storm to save ill-fated sailors. The Russian Orthodox Church holds him in high esteem, and the Catholic Church regards him as the patron saint of children.
Every year, a man dresses up as the historic figure and visits schoolchildren around Saint-Gilles, a Brussels satellite, dispensing gifts.
Spinette indicated he struck a partnership with the Moroccan town of Berkane, known for its production of clementines, reported Sudinfo.
"I would find it comical to have a Sidi Nicolas who provides clementines to children," the mayor told La Derniere Heure, replacing "saint" with an Arabic honorific.
"It's a way to find a link with the Muslim community in the town," said the mayor. "You should know that many people residing in Saint-Gilles come from this region of Morocco."
13.4% of Belgium's population is foreign-born. According to the government, 17.3% of Belgians with a foreign background and non-Belgians come from North Africa.
Beyond the title change and a new gig peddling Moroccan goods, the mayor indicated he had other changes in mind for the Greek saint.
"For us, Saint Nicholas must be environmentally friendly, respectful of religion, and intersectional," said Spinette.
Spinette alluded to the consequences of failing to placate modern sensibilites, adding, "Father Fouettard was fired a long time ago."
Father Fouettard or "Father Whipper" is a sinister character who served as Saint Nicholas' nemesis in an apocryphal 13th-century tale and in many more since. Whereas the saint protects and rewards good children, according to legend, Fouettard would chastise and sometimes murder naughty children.
Yannis Bakhouche, a Reform Movement section president in Saint-Gilles, said in a statement to DH, "It seems that the mayor is trying to divert attention from much more serious problems by launching this idea of changing the name of Saint-Nicolas to Sidi Nicolas. Saint Nicholas is a Catholic tradition that enchants all children, regardless of their origin or religion."
"It's a time when we come together, share sweets, chocolates, and create memories together. Why [would Spinette] want to change something that brings everyone together over trifles? This has never been a demand from the Muslim community, it is truly astonishing," said Bakhouche.
"We should work together to resolve these concrete problems that affect each of us on a daily basis instead of trying to please with ideas that divide," continued Bakhouche. "I believe that our municipality needs leaders who take care of real priorities and who unite the Saint-Gilloise community rather than dividing it with futile ideas."
Facing backlash, Spinette suggested in a subsequent Meta post that he has no intention of changing "the name of Saint-Nicolas or this beautiful tradition appreciated by all children in Saint-Gilles. This is obviously not the case and the Saint-Nicolas event is particularly appreciated in all the schools in our town. He will be celebrated this year as always and I deplore this unnecessary controversy."
While the Christian tradition in Saint-Gilles may survive this year, elsewhere in Europe it appears to be getting the axe.
The European Conservative highlighted how the Austrian municipality of Plainfield in Salzburg has told event organizers to keep Saint Nicholas — often wearing a bishop's miter and a visibly Christian cross — away from its kindergarten due to concerns about "diversity" and "cultural differences."
Cultural differences have been recently cited elsewhere in the region for another kind of change.
Blaze News recently reported that a school in northern Germany is in the process of changing the name of a kindergarten because "Kindertagesstätte 'Anne Frank'" is apparently not diverse or inclusive enough and fails to resonate with immigrant families.
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Illegal alien from Tunisia shot by Belgian police after slaughtering two Swedish soccer fans in apparent act of Islamic terrorism
An illegal alien from the north African country of Tunisia opened fire in Brussels Monday evening, killing two Swedes and critically wounding a third in an apparent act of terrorism. The suspected terrorist, 45-year-old Abdesalem Lassoued, allegedly claimed online that his bloodletting was partly a response to the murder of a 6-year-old Palestinian boy outside Chicago over the weekend.
Armed officers caught up with Lassoued early Tuesday and blew him away.
The attacker
Belgian broadcaster RTBF reported that the gunman had been living illegally in Schaerbeek, Belgium. Lassoued applied for asylum in 2019 but was denied.
Lassoued was known to the police for human trafficking, illegal residency, and endangering state security.
RTBF noted that a foreign service had designated Lassoued as a radical in 2016, as he was apparently keen on traveling to a conflict zone to wage jihad. He was also previously accused of a terrorism conviction in his homeland of Tunisia.
The CIA Factbook indicates that Tunisia is a 99% Sunni Muslim country and home to various Islamic terror factions, including Ansar al-Sharia, ISIS, and al Qaeda.
The New York Times indicated that despite knowing about the Islamist's possible radicalization and criminal activity for at least seven years, authorities failed to act on the intelligence.
Belgian Asylum State Secretary Nicole de Moor indicated that following his failed asylum application, Lassoued disappeared before he could be deported.
The attack
A soccer match was scheduled between Sweden and Belgium Monday evening. The victims, Swedish nationals dressed in their home colors, were among the roughly 35,000 people headed to northern Brussels to watch the Euro 2024 qualifier.
Footage of the attack shows a man in a reflective vest and a white helmet chasing down and firing an automatic rifle at a trio who had just exited a taxi near Place Sainctelette. He follows the victims into a building, then guns them down.
The attacker reportedly fled the scene on a scooter.
Belgium's Interior Minister Annelies Verlinden said Tuesday morning, "Our country was hit by a cowardly and heinous terrorist act which cost the lives of two Swedes."
Eric Van Duyse, a spokesman for the federal prosecutor's office, indicated "this person claims to be inspired by Islamic State," adding there were claims circulating on social media that the shooter had specifically mentioned the victims' Swedish nationality after the fact, reported the Washington Post.
The Daily Mail reported that in one video, the gunman referred to himself as "Slayem Slouma" and claimed he had aimed to avenge the killing of a 6-year-old Palestinian boy in Illinois. The boy in question, Wadea Al-Fayoume, was stabbed 26 times on Saturday.
RTBF further indicated that in the video, the apparent shooter said the Quran is "a red line for which he is ready to sacrifice himself."
There have been numerous Quran burnings in Sweden over the past year, primarily by Iraqi refugee Salwan Momika, who saw it as an opportunity to "express [his] opinion."
Prime Minister Alexander De Croo told reporters Tuesday morning, "Last night, three people left for what was supposed to be a wonderful soccer party. Two of them lost their lives in a brutal terrorist attack. ... Their lives were cut short in full flight, cut down by extreme brutality."
The response
Following the attack, security measures were taken to protect other Swedish supporters in the soccer stadium. The game was ultimately canceled.
Belgium's terrorist threat was raised to level 4 in Brussels, the highest level, and to level 3 in the rest of the country, reported Euronews.
Sweden followed suit, raising its terror alert level to its second-highest level and warning Swedes in Belgium "to be vigilant and to carefully listen to instructions from the Belgian authorities."
Heavily armed Belgian police finally caught up with the gunman around 8 a.m. Tuesday at a Schaerbeek cafe, which had been searched the night before as part of the manhunt for Lassoued. In the encounter, police shot the suspected terrorist in the chest.
The Daily Mail indicated that an automatic rifle was found on Lassoued's person and the scooter used by the shooter to flee the initial carnage was towed away.
Lassoued was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
"The perpetrator of the terrorist attack in Brussels has been identified and died. We thank the intelligence and security services as well as the prosecution for their rapid and decisive intervention last night and this morning," said Verlinden.
Prime Minister De Croo called the shooting a "cowardly attack," offering his condolences to the Swedish prime minister and stressing that "the fight against terrorism is a joint one."
Swedish Foreign Affairs Minister Tobias Billström wrote, "Devastated by the news of two Swedish football supporters murdered in Brussels tonight and a third person being seriously wounded. All my thoughts are with their families and loved ones.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson noted his government was "working closely with relevant agencies and international partners," adding, "Together we stand united against terrorism."
This attack comes over a week after Hamas waged terror attacks on Israel and days after a suspected Islamic terrorist butchered a French teacher in Arras, France, and stabbed two others, prompting French President Emmanuel Macron to lament the "barbarity of Islamic terrorism."
Belgium is no stranger to such barbarity.
Islamist suicide bombers attacked the Brussels Zaventem airport in March 2016, killing 32 people and wounding over 300.
Last year, an Islamist who had been on a list of potential extremists fatally stabbed a police officer in Brussels while yelling "Allahu akbar."
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Europeans unwilling to back US in war with China: Poll
The U.S. fought valiantly to liberate Europe from totalitarian powers in the 20th century and footed the bill for its latest fight with Russia.
Now, confronted with the threat of an increasingly aggressive and genocidal threat in the east, it appears America may not be able to rely on its continental beneficiaries to return the favor.
The European Council on Foreign Relations just published the results of an extensive poll of over 6,000 people across 11 European Union member nations — Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and Sweden — "to understand how European citizens see their place in the world today."
In the event of a war between the U.S. and China — as might result from a Chinese invasion of the island nation of Taiwan — only a quarter of European respondents, on average, "would like their country, or Europe, to take America’s side."
62% of Europeans surveyed would like to remain neutral, notwithstanding their nations' ongoing infiltration by Chinese communist spies, subversion by illegal Chinese police operations, and economic coercion by Beijing.
The survey also found:
- On average, 3.3% of European citizens regard China as an ally "that shares our interests and values";
- 43% recognize China as a "necessary partner ... with which we must strategically cooperate";
- 7% of both French and German respondents suggested Europe or their countries should support China against the U.S in a war, whereas only 4.7% of Europeans, on average, would want to side with the genocidal communists;
- Bulgarians, the most anti-American of the bunch, were the most likely to regard China as a "necessary partner" (58%) and tied for most likely to regard China as an ally (8%);
- Swedes were the most hawkish on China, with 26% calling it an adversary "with which we are in conflict" and 24% calling it a rival "with which we need to compete"; and
- 35% of Swedes and 31% of Poles would want to support the U.S. in a war with China over Taiwan.
Jana Puglierin and Pawel Zerka, senior policy fellows at the ECFR, indicated the notion of neutrality was naïve, writing, "While remaining neutral in the case of great power confrontation is an appealing idea, a US-China confrontation would have a massive impact on Europe’s trade and economy at a minimum and European countries would certainly not be neutral bystanders. In addition, the US would likely demand loyalty from Europeans, reminding them of America’s pivotal role in ensuring a strong Western response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine."
There appear to be two dominant schools of thought in Europe: de-risking and deference. While both entail some form of continued appeasement of Beijing, the latter appears to involve more mental gymnastics on the part of leaders who routinely pay lip service to the importance of democracy and human rights.
The ECFR indicated that European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron exemplify the two varieties of collaborators.
Von der Leyen acknowledged in a March speech that China is ramping up its military posture, its policies of disinformation, and economic and trade coercion, stressing, "These escalatory actions point to a China that is becoming more repressive at home and more assertive abroad."
While recognizing the destabilization and repression China threatens, von der Leyen went on to say, "I believe it is neither viable – nor in Europe's interest – to decouple from China. Our relations are not black or white – and our response cannot be either. This is why we need to focus on de-risk – not de-couple."
De-risking, according to von der Leyen, will require addressing "distortions created by China's state capitalist system," reassessing the terms of the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment, altogether reducing dependence on China, and limiting economic and national security exposure "in the context of China's explicit fusion of its military and commercial sectors."
Macron, alternatively, makes von der Leyen out to be a hawk with his deferential stance to Beijing.
The ECFR suggested that Macron is willing to prioritize close economic relations, even if that compromises allied nations.
"Macron spoke of reviving the strategic and global partnership with China and deliberately avoided critical remarks on the subject of Taiwan. Like Scholz before him, Macron was accompanied by a business delegation, which concluded numerous agreements in China," reported the ECFR. "Macron’s message to Xi was clear: Paris wants close economic relations with Beijing, even if China does not oppose Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and continues to maintain close relations with the Kremlin."
The New York Times reported that during his China trip in April, Macron reiterated his opposition to the economic decoupling from China favored by the U.S. and his preference for a world where American dominance was minimized or zapped altogether.
According to the ECFR's findings, "European citizens are more on Team Macron than Team von der Leyen. They do not see China as a power that challenges and wants to undermine Europe, and they do not buy into the 'democracy versus autocracy' framework promoted by the Biden administration."
Among the 11 nations where citizens were polled, it appears Germany, Sweden, France, and Denmark are outliers in terms of their citizenry recognizing China as a "rival" or an "adversary."
The rest reckon China to be an "ally" or a "partner."
The Euro-Sino love-in could be disrupted, however, if Beijing officially begins arming Russia.
"On average, 41 per cent would be ready to sanction Beijing in that event, even if that meant seriously damaging Western economies. A minority of 33 per cent, on average, would oppose this," reported the ECFR.
Moroccan soccer fans celebrate World Cup win against Belgium by rioting in the EU capital, setting fires, attacking police, and looting
Riots broke out on Sunday in Brussels, the de facto capital of the European Union, and spread to other European cities after Morocco's 2-0 victory over the Belgian soccer team in the World Cup.
Celebrating with mayhem
The World Cup is presently under way in Doha, Qatar. On Sunday, Morocco beat Belgium, which was ranked second in the world after Brazil and had won the previous seven games.
According to the Associated Press, this was Morocco's first win at a World Cup in 24 years and its third win ever. The north African team will go onto play against Canada at the Al Thumama Stadium.
To celebrate the victory, some of the estimated 500,000 Moroccans who live in Belgium and other bad actors reportedly took to the streets, setting fires, overturning cars, looting shops, assaulting police, and attacking police stations.
Police indicated that the "rioters used pyrotechnic material, projectiles, sticks, and set fire on the public highway" and noted that a journalist had been "injured in the face by fireworks."
Bus shelters and traffic lights were also torn down.
East of Brussels, in the city of Liege, around 50 rioters reportedly attacked a police station, bashing in windows and destroying police vehicles.
To prevent the destructive merrymaking from spreading, select public transit stations in Brussels were shut down.
Videos documenting the mayhem have since circulated online, showing vehicles transformed into infernos:
\u201cThe center of Brussels is on fire after the match. \ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\udde7\ud83c\uddea\u201d— Yassin Akouh (@Yassin Akouh) 1669565362
Cars were overturned and smashed:
\u201cBruxelles.\u201d— AhmedMONE9\ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf9 (@AhmedMONE9\ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf9) 1669560816
Incendiary devices were set off in crowded areas:
\u201cThe riots by Moroccan fans have spread from Brussels to Amsterdam tonight.\n\nMorocco won against Belgium 2-0 at the World Cup a few hours ago. \n\n\ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\udde7\ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddf3\ud83c\uddf1 \nhttps://t.co/h4Z3JhHX7h\u201d— Visegr\u00e1d 24 (@Visegr\u00e1d 24) 1669575615
The New York Times reported that police in Brussels attempted to restore order and disperse the mob using tear gas and water cannons.
In another video shared by reporter Yasin Akouh, rioters can be seen fleeing police as water cannons deluge the street:
\u201c#Brussels\u201d— Yassin Akouh (@Yassin Akouh) 1669566606
The water cannons appear to have served a dual function, both chasing out the mob and snuffing out fires the rioters left in their wake:
\u201c\ud83c\udde7\ud83c\uddea - \ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\udde6\u201d— Yassin Akouh (@Yassin Akouh) 1669561988
The mayor of Brussels, Philippe Close, voiced his condemnation of the riots online, warning soccer fans "not to come to the center," as police, in an effort to "maintain public order," were asked to make arrests.
The International Business Times reported that 11 people were ultimately arrested.
As for the rioters, Close stated, "Those are not fans, they are rioters. Moroccan fans are there to celebrate."
Police spokesman Ilse Van de Keere indicated that "around 7 p.m. calm returned and preventive patrols remain in place in the sectors concerned."
Belgian Interior Minister Annelies Verlinden said, "Sad to see how a few individuals abuse a situation to run amok."
Not limited to Belgium
Moroccan riots broke out throughout the Netherlands, hitting Rotterdam, Amsterdam, and the Hague.
\u201c@maartenbrink Een elektrische deelauto wordt in de fik gestoken in Amsterdam. Maar ook in Brussel, Den Haag, Rotterdam en Utrecht, wordt op traditioneel Marokkaanse wijze #feest #gevierd door het in de fik steken van auto\u2019s en andere soorten van #vernielingen\u2026\u201d— Maarten Brink (@Maarten Brink) 1669570989
ABC News noted that in Rotterdam, a mob of nearly 500 rioters attacked police with fireworks and glass.
\u201c#BREAKING: Riots and unrest in the dutch cities of Rotterdam, Hague and Amsterdam following Morocco's world cup win against Belgium\u201d— Amichai Stein (@Amichai Stein) 1669574399
These soccer-related Moroccan riots were not unprecedented.
The BBC reported that in 2017, rioters celebrating Morocco's qualification for the 2018 FIFA World Cup injured over 20 Belgian police officers and also attacked police in the Netherlands.
\u201cRiot squad in #Brussels !\u201d— Bekah Molony (@Bekah Molony) 1510433290
As in this most recent incident, rioters then had looted, burned at least one car, and damaged property throughout Brussels.
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