Wednesday, September 12, 2007

It’s Come to This

That’s right, it’s come to this,
yes it’s come to this,
and wasn’t it a long way down,
wasn’t it a strange way down?


                    — Leonard Cohen, from “Dress Rehearsal Rag”

Vlaams Belang demo photo
Click to see a larger version

Yes, it’s come to this.

This is what free speech, civil society, and the rule of law have come to in Belgium. A well-dressed man, part of a gathering of people assembled to make a peaceful protest, has been roughed up by the police, grabbed by the testicles, and wrestled to the ground. He is about to be arrested, handcuffed, and forced onto a police bus.

Why? What could be the reason for this?

He came to Schuman Square in Brussels to object to the disappearance of his own country, to the submergence of his own people by a tide of Muslims from the Third World. No one asked the people of Flanders if they wanted hundreds of thousands of unassimilable foreigners to come and live in their midst; it was simply done to them. It was — and is — the official policy of the Belgian government and the European Union to import more immigrants from the Islamic world, and to allow them to retain their native cultural practices, no matter how barbaric. All in the name of Multiculturalism!

For this reason Frank Vanhecke, the party leader of Vlaams Belang, was beaten up by the police and spent the night in jail, as if he were pickpocket or a vandal or a street brawler.

Actually, pickpockets and vandals and street brawlers often get less serious attention than this in the countries of the West.

Yes, it’s come to this.

A member of the Vlaams Belang party sent me these photos; there are more of them below the jump.
- - - - - - - - -


Click each thumbnail to see a larger image.

The top photo shows Mr. Vanhecke being thrown to the ground. In the second one you can clearly see him being grabbed by the nads as he was perp-walked away to the bus.

The third shows another member of Vlaams Belang held face-down on the pavement.

The last photo shows Filip Dewinter, Vlaams Belang member of Parliament, as he resists being forced into the bus, just a moment before only his arm remained sticking out between the doors and his wrist was smacked with a baton.

The Europeans are big on human rights. They’re very fond of lecturing us ignorant Americans about the human rights of, say, the Palestinians, or the prisoners in Abu Ghraib.

But what about the human rights of the people of Flanders? What human rights were being respected or enforced yesterday on the streets of Brussels?

Wasn’t it a strange way down?
    Vlaams Belang demo photo
Vlaams Belang demo photo
Vlaams Belang demo photo

24 comments:

falcon_01 said...

Those peaceful protesters made history, and I pray their story spreads like wildfire igniting the spark of freedom inside everyone who sees the attrocities!

Morgenholz said...

Third pic down, with the lovely brown shirt and red arm-band. It's just too much....

Anonymous said...

A most excellent article Baron

But the last part about Europeans vs Americans, is a misunderstanding at best.

We are all suffering from the same poisons; multiculturalism and political correctness. And the US government is no better here, then any government in Europe. But if you like we can waste our time debating this, I am always in for a good discussion. And you are going to loose it. But I also know that many Americans such up this kind of rhetoric like candy, so peace be with it.

It was a good article and also I would like to say a big thanks for the excellent coverage of the demonstration in Brussels. Gates of Vienna is a good friend of Europe, even if you have to hand a few candy bars now and again.

Your friend always

spackle said...

Being a white, Christian Belgian means you are public enemy number one. If the man on the floor was a brown, muslim from Egypt that photo would be all over the MSM. But alas, I am beating a long dead horse. We all know that dont we?

PapaBear said...

There is a limit to how hard the government can shove armed American citizens, a situation which does not exist in Belgium.

The Europeans are re-discovering how little their governments need to care about what their citizens think. Any who get out of line can be beaten with impunity.

And the Americans are not coming to change things this time

Morgenholz said...

From a post by the Baron on August 21 discussing the upcoming 9/11 demonstration:

Yesterday a British reader who is planning to attend the SIOE demonstration received an email which he passed on to us. It’s from a European contact who has knowledge of how these matters are handled in Brussels:

Anarchist riotI should warn you that the Mayor is setting a trap! He intends deploying large numbers of territorial riot police and using them to beat the crap out of us as an object lesson. This will be meant to serve as the first lesson of obedience and warning to all those that oppose the Islamisation of the EU. I just thought you would all like to know. The Russians and Nazi used similar tactics. He is priming the public to view us as criminals. Then he moves in the boot boys and they will hand out everything they can muster.

- - - - - - - - -

I have seen this all before!

I am thinking about whether it is sensible to go! I do not want my skull kicked in and then be put on trial on trumped up charges. It would only serve their cause and we have more important work to do than succumb to what is in effect entrapment. These are Belgian police not cuddly politically correct British coppers.

Be prepared for deliberate provocation and bullying on the slightest excuse.


"British reader" deserves a beer for such prognosication.

the doctor said...

Papa Bear , There are an awful lot of Europeans with arms on the Continent . Firearms laws are not as strict as in the U.K.
The main question is , would they use them ?

Anonymous said...

*There is a limit to how hard the government can shove armed American citizens, a situation which does not exist in Belgium.*

Again, the myth Americans love to belive in.

Do you truly want to compare things or would you rather stay in dreamland ?

And I am not trying to defend Europe, here. Rather I am trying to defend Americans from a false sense of being safe.

Also I find it pathetic, that you need to constantly remind yourself that you are better then Europe to get through the day.

The last remark was sort of for fun.

Have a nice day, as they say overthere.,

kenprice said...

All the "Mayor" of Brussels has done is advance the breakup of Belgium. I would not be surprised to see the breakup next year, at the latest.

PapaBear said...

The EU government has already demonstrated that it doesn't care if Europeans vote against the Eu Constitution.

What happens when (not if) it takes its disdain for the democratic process to the next level?

Anonymous said...

Baron and Papabear.

I would just like to add, that things like this is also going on in your own country. And the fact that you dont have a debate about it shouldent be reason enough to make you feel superior.

America is also in a lot of danger. Dont spread this false sense of being safe.

We should fight for what we belive in. We shouldent fight just to keep up ilusions.

Anonymous said...

PapaBear

Are you going to compare European and American democracy now ?

Seriusly ?

Do you have Democracy in America. You have 2 parties that are going to do the same thing more or less.

Why are you even going in to this ?

USA is less Democratic then any other western Nation.

Again with the dream and the verbal candy ?

Ypp said...

Thank you Baron and Dymphna for your work and excellent coverage. Yours is becoming the site of primary international significance. The number of readers doesn't matter - the paper of Chinese Communist party has more readers than your site, but who cares? The quality is what matters, not the quantity.

Baron Bodissey said...

Ypp, thank you! That's the kind of response that makes the job worth doing. :)

Baron Bodissey said...

Phan, really! Don't bruise yourself jumping to conclusions. I don't think the USA is superior to Europe. We have more time, but that's our only advantage.

Catch up on your GoV reading -- I've been saying for a while that Europe is ahead of us, because more people there are awake to the danger of Islam.

And large chunks of the Republican party have been bought by the Saudis. The Democrats are outright treasonous, but the Republicans are scarcely better.

Anonymous said...

I know you dont think that Baron.

And my comment wasnt about GoV in general.

All I ment to say was that you dealed out a little candy here to the Americans who like to look down on Europe.

You can just reread the last part of you otherwise exelent article.

And also I hope you know that I am big fan of Gates of Vienna and that I think you are a brilliant person and writer.

I am arguing about a formulation in the end of your post.

Cindi said...

What is with the be-veiled face of the woman officer in the bottom left of the last picture?

This woman IS wearing a veil and an officer's helmet, is she not?

Royal Tenenbaum said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ΛΕΟΝΙΔΑΣ said...

Phanarath said: "USA is less Democratic then any other western Nation."
I hope that the capital "D" in democratic is due to Phanarath's european ignorance of the distinction. He is however correct. We are (thank God) a Republic (more or less). There are still a few of us Yanks who value liberty more than (mobocracy) "democracy". I believe the ratio of slaves to citizens in ancient "democratic" Athens was more than 1:1.
Cindi, The police "girl" in the pic was probably covering her face to avoid recognition. A common practice these days under such conditions.
In any event as a yank I must reiterate: ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ!!

Lou Minatti said...

Don't know if this has been mentioned: Michael Savage, a radio talk show host in the US with about 20 million listeners, talked about this for the first half hour of his show.

Anonymous said...

ΛΕΟΝΙΔΑΣ

Yes haha

Whenever I feel ignorant I write random capitol letters :-)

Aunty Belle said...

Baron, what a real fine job, ya' done, Darlin', on this comment.

As a long-memory Southern lass, lemme tell ya' that the poor good folks of Belgium ain't in a good position. I wish't 'em well--but truth is that all true Europeans --of all nationalities--need ter drive a silver stake through the heart of the EU--kill that thang! It ain't nuthin' but totalitarianism dressed in a 12 star gown.

Folks, truly now--once all that power is concentrated at a federal level--pretty dang tough to put that horse back in the barn.

As fer us'uns in the USA, hoo-brother, we may have a wee bit of time, but trouble is so few of us is willin' to spend our time defendin' the Constitution or the Bill of Rights or even common decency.

Conservative Swede said...

Phanarath,

There was nothing wrong at all with the Barons comment here. It cannot even be described as "little candy here to the Americans". Baron's description was perfectly accurate. Live with it. The fact that you write as you did is because you lack perspective. I just posted a comment in another thread where Jesus Christ Supercop, very unfairly, accused Dymphna of starting a pissing contest between Americans and Europeans:

Read it here.

This post will provide you with the perspective you need. Make sure to read it! It's truly amazing. It will make you fall off your chair.

It tells you that you need to go to the comments section of the Brussels Journal to find truly fanatical knee-jerk American chauvinists. It's almost unbelievable. It's like a parody. And very sad for BJ, which is a site with very good writers. Read my comment. Then go to BJ to see for yourself. Then come back here, and you will find that what is characteristic of Dymphna and Baron is their love of Europe, rather than anything else.

I suggest that you and Jesus Christ Supercop go to Brussels Journal and start dealing with Marcfrans, Amsterdamsky, etc. Your protective love of Europe is a good sign, but you should direct it in the right direction, not at Baron and Dymphna. Godspeed!

The one and only Baron wrote:
"Catch up on your GoV reading -- I've been saying for a while that Europe is ahead of us, because more people there are awake to the danger of Islam."

What I always say is that America is better off in all this since they, by luck, happen to have Mexico as their neighbour country, instead of Turkey and Marocco. I'm sure the Baron would agree about this.

Anonymous said...

Conservative Swede

Ok I read the link and you have some good points. I think I agree mostly with JCS on this one though.

I am sorry that I appear to make a general critic of Gates of Vienna and Dymphna and the Baron. I ignorantly assumed that everyone would know that I didn't mean it like that. From what you write it looks like our perception of the Baron and Dymphna are close to identical.
But somehow I think it would be wrong and misguided to let my respect for the Baron and Dymphna force me to accept everything on this site.

I simply had a problem with a small part of the text, and that's what I wrote. I also wrote that I liked the article as a whole very much.

Here is the part I disliked:
-----------------------
"The Europeans are big on human rights. They’re very fond of lecturing us ignorant Americans about the human rights of, say, the Palestinians, or the prisoners in Abu Ghraib.

But what about the human rights of the people of Flanders? What human rights were being respected or enforced yesterday on the streets of Brussels?"
-----------------------

It seems filled with fairytales and weird ideas.

Are the Americans NOT big on human rights ?
Are the Americans NOT fond of lecturing others, including the Europeans ?
Is there something wrong with being against the awful treatment of prisoners in Abu Ghraib ?
Are we talking about ALL Europeans here or are some worse then others ?

Where does it say in the human rights that the police cannot arrest people or bring them in for questioning or other reasons ?
Where does it say in the Human rights that the police cannot use force against people who resist the above ?

I don't want to justify what the Belgian police did that day, what they did was clearly wrong and it shouldn't take place in a free country, I just don't really see a human rights violation here. Maybe it was a violation to ban the demonstration in the first place but even that is a long shot. And even if it was a human rights violation, that shouldn't prevent us from being against what happened in Abu Ghraib.

During the cartoon riots, the American government and most of the US media where very fast to condemn us. Or maybe I could rephrase that into:

"The Americans are big on press ethics. They’re very fond of lecturing us ignorant Danes about what we should and should not print in our newspapers."

But I wouldn't write something like that, because I know that regular Americans where strongest force in backing up behind the Danes in that situation. But on the official level from governments and press, the support came mostly from European countries. One or two days after the Embassies burned in Lebanon, German and French papers printed the cartoons and many European countries followed.

Many Americans do not realize that anti-Americanism in Europe is an import from America. Michael Moore is the main guru for these people. America is a dominant culture that exports its view about it self out on the rest of the world. Anti-Americanism as we see it today in Europe, didn't exist back in the days where Americans generally liked themselves. Well it might have existed, but it wasn't main-stream.
--------------------------
Anyway I hope these random ramblings have cleared up my views a little bit.

I am sorry that it came across as a general attack on Gates of Vienna. I was going for the words, not the man.

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