The European Union could “act quickly and firmly” against what it calls “unjustified” travel bans issued by the United States against five European individuals working on fighting online hate and misinformation, a European Commission spokesperson has said.
EU Officials Condemn US Move as ‘Coercion’
Officials from Europe such as Emmanuel Macron charged Washington of “coercion and intimidation”, after the visa restrictions targeted figures who have been at the heart of campaigns to introduce legislation governing US-based technology firms.
“For too long, European activists have led organised efforts to coerce American platforms to suppress US perspectives they oppose,” wrote a senior US official in a social media post. “The current administration will no longer tolerate 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 criticizing the decision.
The bans were enacted this week against an ex-European commissioner involved in crafting the bloc’s digital governance law, along with several anti-disinformation campaigners, from Germany and the United Kingdom.
An Escalating Conflict Over Regulation
The DSA is viewed by Washington as a type of speech restriction, while European leaders contend the regulations are necessary to combat hate speech and falsehoods.
This row threatens to become part of a far wider ongoing cultural and political conflict involving the current US administration and Europe.
Additional Updates Reported Today
In other legal developments:
- A US district judge has blocked efforts to cut security grants to local governments that do not comply with certain immigration enforcement policies. The judge stated the action was “another example” of tying government assistance to policy compliance.
- Approval was given for the deployment of hundreds of national guard troops to New Orleans ahead of the holiday period, alongside an active immigration enforcement operation.
- The nation of Palau will consent to take in dozens of migrants from the US in exchange for increased assistance, after concluding a formal agreement with US authorities.
Furthermore, a congressional representative has filed a lawsuit seeking the removal of a political figure’s name from a well-known performing arts center in the capital.
Analysts have also noted that recent statements regarding foreign petroleum resources align with a wider ideology in some quarters of “resource imperialism”, leading to parallels with historical international actions.
