A Brussels bookstore’s decision to cancel a scheduled speaking event by controversial French philosopher Raphaël Enthoven has ignited a heated debate about cancel culture and freedom of expression in Belgium.
The event, planned for Monday evening at Filigranes bookstore in central Brussels, was expected to focus on Enthoven’s latest book, which reflects on the death of his mother from Parkinson’s disease.
However, just hours before the discussion, the bookstore announced the cancellation, citing safety concerns for staff after reports of a planned protest. Enthoven, a well-known journalist and intellectual, has faced growing criticism following remarks he made this summer about journalists in Gaza.
On August 15, he wrote on social media platform X: “There are no journalists in Gaza. Only killers, fighters or hostage-takers with a press card.” A day later, he reiterated the claim, suggesting Hamas disguises its members as reporters.
The comments, condemned as inflammatory and misleading, led to Enthoven being disinvited from several festivals and events in France. His appearance in Brussels reignited the controversy.
In a press release, Filigranes stated: “It is not normal that a meeting with an author must take place under police protection. Filigranes is neither a movement nor a political party. We want to make this bookstore a sanctuary for freedom of expression.”
Yet, the invitation itself drew strong backlash. Trade union CNE accused Enthoven of “denying the genocidal nature of the Israeli offensive” and spreading misinformation. The union criticised the bookstore for offering him a platform.
Enthoven quickly responded to the cancellation, accusing his critics of censorship. Writing on X, he argued: “How does one advance the Palestinian cause by preventing me from talking about my mother? Freedom is not a given. It only takes one renunciation for it to disappear.”
Supporters rallied behind him, with journalist Caroline Fourest condemning what she described as a victory for intimidation over free speech. MR politician Denis Ducarme also weighed in, pledging to ensure Belgians have the chance to engage with Enthoven’s work.
The incident underscores the growing clash between free expression and activism in Belgium’s cultural spaces. For some, the cancellation represents necessary resistance against harmful rhetoric; for others, it signals a dangerous precedent where public pressure dictates who may speak.
As Belgium continues grappling with the balance between intellectual freedom and political sensitivities, the fallout from this cancelled event has amplified a broader European conversation on cancel culture.
This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members
