EU Might Respond to ‘Unjustified’ US Visa Bans, Spokesperson States
The European Union might “act quickly and firmly” against what it calls “unjustified” travel bans imposed by the United States on five Europeans involved in combating online hate and misinformation, an EU official has said.
EU Officials Decry US Move as ‘Intimidation’
European leaders such as Emmanuel Macron accused Washington of “bullying and threats”, after the visa restrictions were placed on individuals that were at the heart of efforts to introduce legislation governing American tech companies.
“For too long, ideologues in Europe have led coordinated campaigns to coerce US companies to punish US perspectives they oppose,” wrote a senior US official online. “The current administration will not stand for these egregious acts of extraterritorial censorship.”
Widespread Condemnation Across Europe
Germany, Spain, the UK and a chorus of EU officials supported the French president in condemning the move.
The bans were enacted this week on a former EU commissioner who helped draft the bloc’s digital governance law, along with several anti-disinformation campaigners, from two in Germany and two in the UK.
A Deepening Dispute Regarding Governance
This European legislation is seen by Washington as a type of speech restriction, whereas EU authorities contend the regulations are necessary to control inflammatory language and disinformation.
This disagreement threatens to become part of a much broader ongoing cultural and political conflict between the current US administration and Europe.
Other Developments in the News
In other legal news:
- A federal judge has halted attempts to cut security grants to states which resist certain immigration enforcement policies. The official stated the action was “a further instance” of linking government assistance to policy compliance.
- Approval was given for the dispatch of 350 national guard members to a major US city ahead of the holiday period, coinciding with an active immigration enforcement operation.
- The nation of Palau has agreed to accept a limited number of migrants from the US in exchange for increased assistance, after concluding a memorandum of understanding with Washington.
Additionally, a Democratic lawmaker has filed a lawsuit seeking the removal of the current president’s name from a well-known performing arts center in the capital.
Analysts have also noted that recent statements regarding foreign petroleum resources reflect a broader belief in certain circles of “economic expansionism”, leading to parallels with historical international actions.
