A Belgian judge has decided a reading by Martin Sellner may proceed as planned in one of the auditoriums of Leuven University tonight. Sellner is a figurehead of the Austrian far-right protest movement Generation Identity. The university had banned the lecture a fortnight ago for security reasons.
This evening, Martin Sellner's reading will take place in an auditorium placed at the disposal of far-right student association NSV, which is organising the lecture. The student association went to court a fortnight ago after KU Leuven banned the lecture by the Austrian.
According to the university, the safety of the participants could not be guaranteed, but the judge ruled otherwise. "A court in Leuven has indeed decided that Martin Sellner's NSV lecture should take place in an auditorium at KU Leuven, despite our earlier ban for security reasons," the university says. "Martin Sellner was previously denied entry to the UK on the same grounds. KU Leuven will respect the court's decision."
NSV says there will be cooperation with the police over security and anyone coming must register in advance. Cooperation with a security firm will also be required, the university explains.