Brussels police storm conservative conference attended by Suella Braverman and Nigel Farage

Police in Brussels have stormed a mainstream conservative conference attended by former Ukip leader Nigel Farage and ex-Home Secretary Suella Braverman. The National Conservatism (NatCon) Conference, which had already faced venue changes due to opposition from local mayors, was ordered to shut down by authorities to "guarantee public safety."

Officers arrived at the Claridge venue in central Brussels shortly after the event began, informing organizers that the conference would be closed, the Independent reported. Despite the order, speeches continued, with police allowing attendees to leave but not re-enter the venue.

Conference organizers have announced their intention to launch a legal challenge against the mayor's order, claiming that the gathering was peaceful and posed no public disturbance.

The conference, hosted by the Edmund Burke Foundation think tank, aims to strengthen the principles of national conservatism in Western countries. It has drawn criticism for its lineup of speakers, which includes Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has been accused by his opponents on the far-left of cracking down on LGBTQ rights and press freedom.

During her keynote speech, Suella Braverman expressed her belief that the UK lacks the "political will" to leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which she described as incompatible with parliamentary democracy and enforced by a "profoundly undemocratic and politicized" court.

Britain's Liberal Democrats have criticized Braverman for sharing a platform with "far-right authoritarians," while the Labour Party has urged UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to prevent the former home secretary from "giving oxygen to these divisive and dangerous individuals."