MCC Brussels, a Hungarian government-backed think tank and part organizer of the event, said a search is now on for an alternative venue. Frank Furedi, executive director of MCC Brussels, denounced the decision by the venue to cancel the event.
“What has happened in these last few days represents nothing less than a crisis for free speech and political expression for all of Europe,” Furedi said. “It is an absolute tragedy that cancel culture has been welcomed into Brussels in the very heart of the European Union. Everyone, regardless of political affiliation, should be concerned about what is happening here,” he said.
“The battle for free speech is now taking place, and all people of goodwill should be prepared to fight for all our rights to free thought and expression. We must tell the world they tried to cancel us in Brussels, but freedom will prevail,” Furedi said.
The Brussels Times had reported that anti-fascist groups had called on the venue to reconsider and were planning to protest the event.
NatCon has emerged as a player on the international think-tank circuit in recent years, and has a strong transatlantic focus. Next week’s gathering in Brussels was due to be its ninth event, with a further conference scheduled to take place in Washington this summer.
Previous attendees include figures like Florida Governor Ron de Santis and U.S. Senator Josh Hawley.
The conference is run by the Edmund Burke Foundation, a Washington-based think tank founded in 2019 with the aim of advancing conservative ideology.
The theme of the Brussels conference is “Preserving the Nation-State in Europe,” with participants due to discuss what they see as the “challenges” to national sovereignty posed by the European Union, particularly in the context of the forthcoming European elections this summer.
