Balázs Orbán, political director to the Hungarian prime minister and chairman of the board of Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC), wrote an open letter to Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever on Wednesday, expressing concern over the latest Antifa attack on an MCC Brussels event.
On Tuesday morning, individuals identifying themselves as Antifa targeted the Stanhope Hotel in Brussels, where MCC Brussels was scheduled to host a publicly announced conference. The attack was apparently aimed at silencing right-wing voices, restricting freedom of speech, and intimidating attendees.
MCC Brussels issued an official statement following the incident: ‘This was not a protest. It was a threat. And it wasn’t just aimed at us—it was a warning to anyone who deviates even slightly from the ideological orthodoxy they enforce.’ The statement further condemned the perpetrators, asserting that although they pose as ‘anti-fascists,’ their behaviour mirrors the nihilistic thuggery that helped spread fascism in 1930s Europe.
‘Europe is entering a dangerous era where reasoned debate is drowned out by shrieks of intolerance and intimidation. If this is allowed to continue unchallenged, today they will come for us, tomorrow they will come for anyone who deviates even slightly from their rigid worldview.’
In his open letter, Balázs Orbán urged Prime Minister De Wever to defend the principles of free speech and peaceful assembly. ‘I urge you, Prime Minister, to take a firm stand on the defence of freedom of speech and peaceful assembly. These are not merely matters of public policy, but of democratic integrity and responsible leadership,’ he wrote.
Not an Isolated Case
As both Orbán and MCC Brussels pointed out, this was not the first time the think tank’s events have faced efforts to shut them down. In April last year, Emir Kir, mayor of the Saint-Josse district in Brussels, attempted to halt the National Conservatism Conference (NatCon)—which featured prominent figures from the European right—by sending police to the venue. However, his efforts ultimately failed, as the organizers successfully challenged the mayoral order in court, allowing the conference to proceed without disruption on its second day.
The incident drew criticism even from then-Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, who is not known for sympathizing with conservatism or right-wing politics. ‘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,’ he wrote on X.
In another case, in November 2024, Antifa protesters attempted to block the entrance to the Hungarian House in Brussels to prevent the launch of French National Rally (RN) leader Jordan Bardella’s new book. Despite the protest, the event proceeded without disruption. ‘The extreme left wanted me to back down: that’s not knowing me very well,’ Bardella posted on X afterward.
Just like the NatCon conference and Bardella’s book launch, Tuesday’s MCC Brussels event went ahead despite Antifa’s attempt to block it. As MCC concluded in its statement: ‘We will not be silenced. We will not be intimidated. And we will not stop.’
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