Leftist tyranny in Belgium
Vlaams Belang leader Frank Vanhecke may be prosecuted for “racism,” fined, imprisoned, and stripped of his political and civil rights because a provincial VB newspaper, in an article Vanhecke had nothing to do with, said that immigrant youths vandalized a Christian cemetery.
Paul Belien writes in an e-mail:
I just checked all the Belgian newspapers of this week. Not a single word about Bart Debie and his predicament this week. Not a word. (For more information, see Diana’s recent blog posts, here, here, and here.)
Meanwhile, next Monday afternoon, the European Parliament will vote on whether or not to lift the parliamentary immunity of Frank Vanhecke, the former party leader (until last Spring) of Vlaams Belang.
The Parliament’s “rapporteur,” the German Christian-Democrat Lehne, has advised the MEPs to vote in favour of lifting Frank’s parliamentary immunity. Hence, there is no doubt that the European Parliament will indeed do so.
Once this is done, the Belgian authorities can prosecute Frank on charges of racism.
Some background info from my article of 12 September 2008:
The Belgian authorities hold Mr Vanhecke responsible for the publication of a text in a local party publication in the town of Sint-Niklaas. The author had blamed a wave of vandalism at a Christian cemetery on immigrant youths. As the culprits were minors, Belgian law prohibits disclosing their identity, thereby preventing the VB to prove beyond doubt whether or not the youthful vandals were, indeed, Muslim immigrants. Though the author of the text is known and is NOT being prosecuted, Mr Vanhecke is, even though he had not written the article, nor seen it before it was published. The authorities hold him responsible for the article since he was the national VB leader at the time of publication.
The European Parliament’s Committee on Legal Affairs is currently discussing whether or not to lift Mr Vanhecke parliamentary immunity. On Monday Guido Naets, the former spokesman of the European Parliament, asked the Committee to turn down the Belgian request. Mr Naets pointed out that Vlaams Belang is a Flemish-secessionist party which aims for the independence of Flanders from Belgium. He declared that this, and not racism, is the real reason why the Belgian authorities want to thwart the party by banning Mr Vanhecke from standing in the coming European elections. “In the almost 30 years that I have known Frank Vanhecke [ … ] I have never been able to catch him out on any form of racism whatsoever,” Mr Naets said. “Vanhecke will be prosecuted because he is a symbol for a party that wants to abolish Belgium. For all these reasons I beg the European Parliament, beginning with this Commission not to become an accessory to a political lynching and an attempted smear attack of a radical Flemish party, in which racism is being used as a cheap excuse.”
[end of quotation from article]
As you can see, Frank’s case holds striking similarities to that of Bart Debie’s.
Bart was convicted on racism charges because some police officers of his department beat up criminals while allegedly making racist remarks about them.
Though Bart was not present when these incidents occurred and though the identity of the police officers who committed the actual offenses is known, they have not been prosecuted, but Bart has. The court held him responsible for “creating a racist atmosphere in the police force,” although he himself made no racist remarks, nor beat up anyone, nor ordered his officers to beat up anyone.
Frank Vanhecke is being prosecuted for allegedly racist remarks written in a local VB pamphlet in a provincial town by a local VB member. Though the identity of the local member who wrote the article is known, the latter will not be prosecuted, but Frank will. Did he “created a racist atmosphere in his party” without ever making racist remarks himself nor ordering anyone to do so?
If convicted (and there is little doubt that this will happen) Frank might also have to spend at least one symbolic day in a crowded, smelly cell among ordinary criminals. He will also be robbed of his civil and political rights and he will be no longer be able to stand in any elections.
Frank heads the VB list for the European elections next June. The Belgian authorities clearly intend to “behead” this list by taking out Frank, who is very popular with ordinary voters. This will force the party to have someone else, e.g. Philip Claeys—a good guy, but less popular and not so well known as Frank—to head the list.
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Mark P. writes:
This is exactly what I anticipate happening to the Right here in America if Obama wins. Like in the EU, he will systematically attack the very nerves of the political system.
Posted by Lawrence Auster at October 31, 2008 10:40 AM | Send