EU Might Retaliate to ‘Unjustified’ US Visa Bans, Spokesperson States

The European Union might “act quickly and firmly” in response to what it deems “unjustified” visa bans imposed by the US on five Europeans involved in fighting online hate and disinformation, a European Commission spokesperson has said.

European Leaders Condemn US Move as ‘Coercion’

Officials from Europe including the French president accused the US administration of “bullying and threats”, following the visa restrictions targeted figures who have been at the heart of efforts to enact laws regulating American tech companies.

“For far too long, European activists have spearheaded organised efforts to coerce US companies to punish US perspectives they disagree with,” stated the US secretary of state in a social media post. “This government will no longer tolerate these egregious acts of censorship beyond its borders.”

Broad Criticism Across Europe

Germany, Spain, the UK and a chorus of EU officials supported the French president in criticizing the decision.

The bans were imposed on Tuesday against an ex-European commissioner who helped draft the EU’s digital governance law, along with four activists fighting false information, from two in Germany and two in the UK.

An Escalating Conflict Over Regulation

This European legislation is seen by Washington as a form of censorship, whereas EU authorities contend the rules are essential to control hate speech and falsehoods.

This disagreement threatens to become part of a much broader existing cultural and political conflict between Washington and Europe.

Other Developments in the News

In related legal developments:

• A federal judge has halted efforts to reduce federal homeland security funding to local governments which resist specific federal immigration rules. The judge ruled the action was “a further instance” of tying federal aid to adherence to directives.
• Authorization was issued for the dispatch of 350 national guard members to a major US city ahead of the new year, alongside an active immigration enforcement operation.
• A Pacific Island nation will consent to take in a limited number of individuals from the US in exchange for additional aid, after concluding a memorandum of understanding with US authorities.

Additionally, a congressional representative has filed a lawsuit to demand the stripping of the current president’s name from a prominent cultural institution in Washington DC.

Experts have also noted that comments regarding foreign petroleum resources reflect a wider ideology in certain circles of “resource imperialism”, leading to parallels with historical international actions.