The US ambassador had Belgian police stop our reporting • Hacker News Board

Re: The US ambassador had Belgian police stop our reporting

#41

Post by n4r9 » Tue, Jun 30, 2026, 12:51 PM UTC

darreninthenet wrote: post #23

Aerroon wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you get trespassed then wouldn't the police get involved?

Depends on the laws in Belgium (I've no idea what they are)... in the UK for example trespass by itself is not a criminal matter, even if somebody refuses to leave your property... they need to be doing something else.

Just to clarify. The UK police can assist you in ejecting trespassers, whom you have told to leave your house, in order to "prevent a breach of the peace". They won't arrest or charge trespassers unless they have reason to suspect criminal activity.

In this case the Belgian police might have been justified in escorting the journalists off the premises. But I'm not sure what grounds they had to detain and question them.

Re: The US ambassador had Belgian police stop our reporting

#42

Post by carlosjobim » Tue, Jun 30, 2026, 12:52 PM UTC

spwa4 wrote: post #5

Yes, the Brussels state is in desperate need of funds, so they rent out public parks, including the Cinquantenaire, for private events. Of course, during such events the park is not accessible to the public, and there's private security who can hand over anyone to the Brussels police to be escorted out of the park. You know, like you can do in your apartment too. So if Bill White, the US ambassador, pays to rent out…

The police didn't do something outside of their legal powers, that's not what the question is. It's rather unusual for any ambassador to use force to kick out invited reporters from a function.

Re: The US ambassador had Belgian police stop our reporting

#43

Post by kergonath » Tue, Jun 30, 2026, 12:53 PM UTC

jojobas wrote: post #31

OgsyedIE wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Media Bias Fact Check has them at center-left alignment and high factual credibility, like the Washington Post and Guardian.

[flagged]

They are social democrats and firmly left of centre. You won’t find anything remotely radical in the Grauniad.

Re: The US ambassador had Belgian police stop our reporting

#44

Post by iso1631 » Tue, Jun 30, 2026, 12:54 PM UTC

Waterluvian wrote: post #25

elil17 wrote: post #6

For additional context, tensions are already high surrounding the US ambassador after he directly insulted multiple Belgian politicians and also attempted to interfere with local criminal judicial proceedings.

[flagged]

The ambassador is a representative of the American President, so that fits.

As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people.

Re: The US ambassador had Belgian police stop our reporting

#45

Post by throwaway173738 » Tue, Jun 30, 2026, 12:55 PM UTC

expedition32 wrote: post #21

aetch wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sounds like they had a legitimate question for the ambassador who reacted badly - which is no surprise for someone in this administration.

When America is sending their diplomats they're not sending their best!

We used to send people who were concerned with building relationships. These days it sounds like we’re sending people to milk relationships dry.

Re: The US ambassador had Belgian police stop our reporting

#46

Post by gpm » Tue, Jun 30, 2026, 12:55 PM UTC

FabCH wrote: post #38

spwa4 wrote: post #5

Yes, the Brussels state is in desperate need of funds, so they rent out public parks, including the Cinquantenaire, for private events. Of course, during such events the park is not accessible to the public, and there's private security who can hand over anyone to the Brussels police to be escorted out of the park. You know, like you can do in your apartment too. So if Bill White, the US ambassador, pays to rent out…

They are not allowed to lie about it though. Lying to the police that the reporters are an "active threat" is criminal.

Presumably the ambassador has diplomatic immunity unfortunately. Really a concept we should get rid of in the day of video calls - there's no longer a strong enough need for foreign diplomats to be in a country to justify putting them above the law.

Re: The US ambassador had Belgian police stop our reporting

#47

Post by jojobas » Tue, Jun 30, 2026, 12:56 PM UTC

mcmcmc wrote: post #34

jojobas wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

If that’s your opinion, I don’t think you know what actual leftism is.

[flagged]

Re: The US ambassador had Belgian police stop our reporting

#48

Post by JdeBP » Tue, Jun 30, 2026, 12:57 PM UTC

Waterluvian wrote: post #25

elil17 wrote: post #6

For additional context, tensions are already high surrounding the US ambassador after he directly insulted multiple Belgian politicians and also attempted to interfere with local criminal judicial proceedings.

[flagged]

I am wondering whether there will be any effect to petition e-7124. It seems unlikely, to me.

* https://noscommunes.ca/petitions/fr/Petition/Details?Petitio...

Re: The US ambassador had Belgian police stop our reporting

#49

Post by jojobas » Tue, Jun 30, 2026, 12:57 PM UTC

kergonath wrote: post #43

jojobas wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

They are social democrats and firmly left of centre. You won’t find anything remotely radical in the Grauniad.

It might not be radical, but the spin is everywhere, whether they are talking about industry trends, current events or gardening.

Re: The US ambassador had Belgian police stop our reporting

#50

Post by yorwba » Tue, Jun 30, 2026, 12:58 PM UTC

dimitrios1 wrote: post #26

"Belgian police willingly comply with U.S. ambassador's request, and Belgian police stopped your reporting" FTFY > a foreign ambassador had Belgian police remove us Belgian police removed us . FTFY again. The article is making a good point, especially the hilarious irony of all the private companies, and US being complicit in limiting press freedom. But it also fails to recognize the agency and complicitness of the B…

Renting a venue for an event usually comes with the right to decide who may attend and who may not. So if the embassy indeed rented the park, then as soon as the ambassador decided the journalists weren't welcome, they were no longer allowed to stay and the Belgian police were correctly doing their duty in making sure they complied and left.

So the article isn't strictly alleging that the ambassador did anything he didn't have the right to do, but uninviting journalists from an event after they ask a question he preferred not to answer and involving the police instead of directly telling them to leave is maybe not the best use of those rights.