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The US ambassador had Belgian police stop our reporting

europeancorrespondent.com

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Re: The US ambassador had Belgian police stop our reporting

#111

Post by iso1631 »

breggles wrote: post #83
iso1631 wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Many blogs will omit key facts. For example you could write "I was booted out for asking a question" when in actual fact you'd broken in with some wire cutters and then proceeded to pour champagne over all the soft furnishings. A credible reporter for a credible outlet writing a credible article won't, whether that's the Washignton Post, the Daily Telegraph, or Le Monde, or if it's BBC, RTL, Al Jazzera. So it's alway…

Given that they were invited to the event "as press" (did you even read the article?) it is safe to assume that they are credible reporters.

Many people on the internet lie.

Re: The US ambassador had Belgian police stop our reporting

#112

Post by jojobas »

LtWorf wrote: post #68
jojobas wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

Being born somewhere doesn't automatically grant you instant knowledge. For example most people in the mediterranean have no idea about all the history of the roman empire.

Those born in the actual roman empire and catching a glimpse of how awesome it was might have some clue right?

Re: The US ambassador had Belgian police stop our reporting

#113

Post by aa-jv »

mrtksn wrote: post #90
nashashmi wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Europe (which could mean anything from the UK to Belgium to Hungary to Turkey) never had absolute freedom of speech like the US. But yes, even by the US standards to champion freedom of speech, it is in retreat.

I got the impression that free speech in the US is limited to right to annoy people and harass politicians from distance. Seems to be more restricted than Europe actually since access is tied to private property and its culturally acceptable to remove people from private spaces if you don't like their speech. In this particular case the US embassy appears to have "hacked" their way by claiming that those journalists…

>I got the impression that free speech in the US is limited to right to annoy people and harass politicians from distance.

That's a pretty trite way of looking at it. You could see for example how important free speech was to the US' civil rights movement in making sure that people were able to organize to challenge the status quo.

>.. if it was in US they could have been removed and have their free speech in a designated area simply because they don't want them there.

US' citizens generally have a better time in courts challenging such things than Europeans do, however.

>In contrast, in most of Europe you usually can approach and ask politicians whatever you like.

But can you tell them whatever you like without facing repercussion if they don't like what they're hearing? No.

In the US, you can still exercise your right to free speech to inform your fellow citizens about the genocide of Gaza - in Europe, most definitely not so easy. (Some European states, its easier than others ...)

Re: The US ambassador had Belgian police stop our reporting

#114

Post by usui »

bambax wrote: post #64
Waterluvian wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

The US ambassador to France is a convicted felon, father of Jared Kushner. From Wikipedia: «In February 2026, French authorities restricted Kushner’s direct access to government ministers after he failed to attend a summons from Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, sending a senior embassy official in his place. The French foreign ministry cited an "apparent failure to grasp the basic requirements of the ambassadorial…

Instead of being a ding, that might make him a serious candidate for presidency then. He can only go up from here.

Re: The US ambassador had Belgian police stop our reporting

#115

Post by [deleted] »

bambax wrote: post #64
Waterluvian wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

The US ambassador to France is a convicted felon, father of Jared Kushner. From Wikipedia: «In February 2026, French authorities restricted Kushner’s direct access to government ministers after he failed to attend a summons from Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, sending a senior embassy official in his place. The French foreign ministry cited an "apparent failure to grasp the basic requirements of the ambassadorial…

[deleted]

Re: The US ambassador had Belgian police stop our reporting

#116

Post by erikerikson »

MichaelZuo wrote: post #94
bambax wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The US ambassador to France is a convicted felon, father of Jared Kushner. From Wikipedia: «In February 2026, French authorities restricted Kushner’s direct access to government ministers after he failed to attend a summons from Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, sending a senior embassy official in his place. The French foreign ministry cited an "apparent failure to grasp the basic requirements of the ambassadorial…

If true, there must be something seriously, profoundly, wrong in the Beltway. It somehow seems like a huge number of people are working to throw America down the drain faster.

See also Atlas Shrugged

Re: The US ambassador had Belgian police stop our reporting

#117

Post by ralferoo »

"... a foreign government using local police to eject reporters over a single question from a public space turned private at the will of the American government is not a minor diplomatic awkwardness."

The fact it's a public space is kind of irrelevant here, if the landowners (the city council, I guess) decide to temporarily allow private use.

If some roads had been closed for film production use etc, the police would similarly be involved in removing people who interfered with the proceedings and didn't leave when asked to. The land owner has given the company exclusive rights to the space for the duration of the event.

Whether ejecting someone from a press event for asking a question you don't like is right or not (I personally think it's not) is irrelevant. At the point they ask you to leave for whatever reason and you don't comply, then it becomes trespass and the police can be asked to remove you.

Re: The US ambassador had Belgian police stop our reporting

#118

Post by dylan604 »

bambax wrote: post #64
Waterluvian wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

The US ambassador to France is a convicted felon, father of Jared Kushner. From Wikipedia: «In February 2026, French authorities restricted Kushner’s direct access to government ministers after he failed to attend a summons from Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, sending a senior embassy official in his place. The French foreign ministry cited an "apparent failure to grasp the basic requirements of the ambassadorial…

The US ambassador to France is a convicted felon, father of Jared Kushner.

Re: The US ambassador had Belgian police stop our reporting

#119

Post by kergonath »

jojobas wrote: post #49
kergonath wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

No, it’s not everywhere. Reporting is fair and accurate.

Re: The US ambassador had Belgian police stop our reporting

#120

Post by greenavocado »

bambax wrote: post #64
Waterluvian wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

The US ambassador to France is a convicted felon, father of Jared Kushner. From Wikipedia: «In February 2026, French authorities restricted Kushner’s direct access to government ministers after he failed to attend a summons from Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, sending a senior embassy official in his place. The French foreign ministry cited an "apparent failure to grasp the basic requirements of the ambassadorial…

[flagged]
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