The EU might “act quickly and firmly” in response to what it calls “unjustified” visa bans imposed by the US against five Europeans working on combating online hate and misinformation, an EU official stated.
European Leaders Decry US Move as ‘Intimidation’
Officials from Europe including Emmanuel Macron charged Washington of “bullying and threats”, following the travel bans targeted individuals that were central to campaigns to introduce legislation regulating American tech companies.
“For too long, European activists have spearheaded organised efforts to coerce American platforms to suppress American viewpoints they disagree with,” wrote a senior US official in a social media post. “This government will no longer tolerate these egregious acts of extraterritorial censorship.”
Broad Criticism From EU Nations
Germany, Spain, the UK and a chorus of EU officials joined France in criticizing the decision.
The bans were imposed on Tuesday on a former EU commissioner involved in crafting the bloc’s digital governance law, as well as four activists fighting false information, including two in Germany and two in the UK.
A Deepening Dispute Regarding Governance
The DSA is seen by Washington as a type of speech restriction, whereas EU authorities contend the rules are essential to control inflammatory language and falsehoods.
This disagreement threatens to become a facet of a much broader ongoing cultural and political conflict involving Washington and Europe.
Other Developments in the News
In other judicial news:
- A US district judge has halted attempts to cut federal homeland security funding to local governments which resist certain immigration enforcement policies. The judge stated the case was “a further instance” of linking federal aid to policy compliance.
- Approval was given for the deployment of 350 national guard members to a major US city ahead of the holiday period, alongside an active immigration enforcement operation.
- A Pacific Island nation will consent to take in dozens of migrants from the US in return for increased assistance, following signing a memorandum of understanding with Washington.
Additionally, a Democratic lawmaker has filed a lawsuit to demand the removal of the current president’s name from a well-known performing arts center in Washington DC.
Experts point out that recent statements regarding Venezuelan oil reflect a broader belief in some quarters of “economic expansionism”, leading to parallels with historical international strategies.
