Nigel Farage compares cancel culture to 'Soviet communism' and blasts 'the ... trends now

Nigel Farage has penned a scathing tirade against cancel culture and blasted 'the Brussels elite' for ensuring 'no other views are allowed' following attempts to shut down his right-wing conference in Belgium on Tuesday.

'Cancel culture is saying, "I do not want to hear your opinion". What happened today is an updated form of Soviet communism,' the former UKIP leader lamented in The Telegraph after police and local officials mounted a closure order to shut down his keynote speech.

'It says that no other view is allowed, that anybody that holds it is, by definition, mad, bad, and dangerous. It's an approach that has, and will always, fall in the end.'

'I can see a growing number are beginning to understand what this globalist project of ever closer union represents. It is not just undemocratic but anti-democratic in its very nature,' the ex-MEP rounded off, calling the clash possibly 'my most productive day ever in Brussels'.

Mr Farage had been due to speak at a gathering of Europe's hard-right in Brussels for the National Conservatism Conference, featuring guests including Hungarian leader Viktor Orbán and former Home Secretary Suella Braverman. 

The event was thrown off course when authorities intervened, citing the 'possibility of public disorder' with protests planned for late Tuesday afternoon. Mr Farage said 'political pressure' was being placed on the Concert Noble venue to cancel, POLITICO reporting a challenge from Brussels' socialist mayor Philippe Close.

The event eventually went ahead at the Claridge event space, the conference's third venue, but police said they would stop new arrivals from entering. Emir Kir, the mayor of Saint-Josse-ten-Noode where the event was held, said he would 'immediately take measures to ban' it, provoking threats of a legal challenge from the organisers.

While the event did go ahead, its handling by the authorities drew fire from European politicians, condemning the perceived attack on freedom of expression.

Belgian prime minister Alexander De Croo slammed the 'unconstitutional' attempt to shut down the event as 'unacceptable'.

Viktor Orbán said on Facebook: 'Brussels just moved up a gear. If anyone stands up for peace, they are simply banned.

'No question, on 9 June we have to say clearly: No War!' he added, referring to the European election date.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the reports of police action were 'extremely disturbing'.

A spokesperson added that Sunak was a 'strong supporter and advocator of free speech' who believed 'cancelling events or preventing attendance and no-platforming speakers is damaging to free speech and democracy as a result'.

Police were seen setting up a barricade outside the Claridge venue after pledging to prevent any further traffic heading inside.

Guests set to speak at the event later on Tuesday were among those turned away by authorities.

Suella Braverman told the BBC she was not thrown out and was able to speak on Tuesday.

Organisers said they plan to continue with the conference today, writing 'See you again tomorrow!' on Twitter/X.

But the future of the conference was thrown into jeopardy following an order issued by Emir Kir, the mayor of Brussels district Saint-Josse-ten-Noode.

He said he was banning the event from taking place in the Belgian capital 'to guarantee public safety'.

'In Etterbeek, in Brussels City and in Saint-Josse, the far-right is not welcome,' Mr Kir added.

Kir was himself thrown out of the socialist part in Brussels in 2020 after meeting with politicians from Turkey's far-right. 

Police were seen inside the 'Claridge' venue around midday on Tuesday - as Mr Farage took to the stage to deliver a speech.

It was reported that attendees had been given 15 minutes to leave the venue. But officers did not appear to force the event to shut down and speeches continued.

Event organisers later claimed that police were 'not letting anyone in' and posted a video on social media of a police barricade outside the venue.

The administrative order they were carrying, seen by the Mail, cited 'provocative and discriminatory' views held by 'traditionalists' that are 'deemed homophobic, non-respectful of people and minorities'. 

Rising Tory star Miriam Cates MP, co-chairman of the New Conservatives group, was forced to smuggle herself in via a side entrance wearing a headscarf so she could give her speech on the dangers that social media poses to young children.

Mrs Braverman used her address to urge Rishi Sunak to leave the European Convention on Human Rights. She said: 'I wish the UK would do so now. Not only is it the right and necessary thing to do, it is also the politically expedient thing to do.'

It was unclear last night whether the conference's final day today will still be able to go ahead.

Saurabh Sharma, executive director of National Conservatism, posted on X: 'Brussels police are holding NatCon Brussels 2 hostage.

'They know that it would be a circus to frog-march us out of here—so they just won't let people come in. The conference will continue—either here or elsewhere.'

Eric Zemmour, the controversial former French presidential candidate, was said to have been denied entry with his keynote address postponed 'possibly indefinitely'.

In his own address to the conference, Mr Farage lashed out at the 'monstrous' efforts to shut down the gathering on its first morning, saying: 'We are up against a new form of communism.'

Mrs Braverman attacked the 'thought police' who were trying to close the event. And Downing Street this afternoon described the Belgian police action as 'extremely disturbing'.

Mr de Croo posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, to denounce the actions of the local mayor.

He wrote: '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

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