Hate Speech or Speech They Hate?
2026-06-15T21:00:00+00:00
2026-06-17T14:00:00+00:00
https://www.expert-europe.eu//medias/image/thumbnail_6522385566a2f18b6c21cf.png
European Parliament
1, av. du Président Schuman
Strasbourg
67070
FR
PfE Group | Hosted by MEP Tom VANDENDRIESSCHE (Vlaams Belang, BE). On 17 June 2026 at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, join Prof. Frank Furedi and Dries Van Langenhove for a crucial discussion on free speech, the criminalisation of opinion, and EU hate speech laws. MEP EVENTHate Speech or Speech They Hate? Free Speech and Hate Speech Laws in the European Union. 📅 Date:17/06/2026 🕐 Time:14:30 - 16:00 📍 Location:Room Weiss S2.2, European Parliament, Strasbourg About the Event On 26 May 2026, the Criminal Court of Leuven convicted civil rights activist Dries Van Langenhove for a lecture on migration and social policy. The court ruled, in its own words: "The defendant is not accused of having spread false information, but of having, through his presentation of the facts, deliberately incited hatred or violence." In other words: whether a statement is true is legally irrelevant. A citizen who states the facts correctly but draws the "wrong" political conclusion can still be prosecuted in Belgium.What does this mean for political debate, for journalism, and for the freedom of Members of this House to speak openly on the issues that matter to our voters? And what are the implications of the European Commission's effort to anchor hate-speech offences at EU level under Article 83(1) TFEU?This event will challenge prevailing narratives and open a frank discussion on the criminalisation of opinion in a Europe that still calls itself democratic.Hosted by +Tom VANDENDRIESSCHEMEP Belgium PfE BureauMember of the European Parliament PfE Patriots for Europe | VB Vlaams Belang Tom VANDENDRIESSCHECommitteesLIBECivil Liberties, Justice & Home AffairsIMCOInternal Market & Consumer ProtectionDelegationsDASEDelegation for relations with the countries of Southeast Asia & ASEANDMEDDelegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the MediterraneanDMASDMAS Delegation×Speakers Frank FUREDIProfessorMCC BrusselsUniversity of Kent Dries Van LANGENHOVECivil rights activistFormer MP Programme 14:30 Discussion Hosted by MEP Tom VandendriesscheProf. Frank Furedi | MCC Brussels | University of Kent Dries Van Langenhove | Civil rights activist | Former MP Important – This event is by invitation, and only registered participants will be admitted. Due to capacity constraints, all attendees must register, including those already holding a European Parliament access badge. Registration is mandatory for admission.
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https://www.expert-europe.eu/en/event/hate-speech-or-speech-they-hate/2026/06/15/475
MEP 
Belgium 
