Helmut Brandstatter, MdEP, born in Vienna, is a member of the European Parliament. He sits with the Renew Europe parliamentary group, and is a member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
He recently posted on X, protesting allegations that there is no free speech in Europe. He wrote:
“A Message to „piggy Land“: there is No censorship in Europe, and everybody has to follow our rules” Trump fights the free press, suing newspapers and TV stations. So leave us alone.”
“Piggy land” is a reference to a comment President Trump made about a reporter.
Brandstatter was responding to JD Vance who wrote:
“Rumors swirling that the EU commission will fine X hundreds of millions of dollars for not engaging in censorship. The EU should be supporting free speech not attacking American companies over garbage.”
Vance was referencing the EU’s fine of 140 million Euros for banned speech on his platform.
A number of people responded to the lie Brandstatter was spreading about free speech in the EU. The most significant is from the Under Secretary of State Sarah Rogers who cited some examples of speech in Europe and how it is treated.
The Under Secretary responded to Brandstatter’s comment. It’s important to note that Brandstatter is typical of many of the arrogant, authoritarian EU Parliamentarians.
About them not censoring and everyone having to follow the rules, she said she is traveling on a diplomatic passport, and wanted to let people know what is going on.
Rogers decided to say the things Europeans are no longer allowed to say by “revisiting some remarks for which people in Europe and also the UK have been investigated or arrested or jailed by their governments over the past few years.”
“… a German woman notoriously received a harsher jail sentence than a convicted rapist after the woman called the rapist, “ a disgraceful pig”. This was after he participated, along with several other disgraceful pigs in the gang rape of a 15-year-old girl in a public park.
“Similarly, a British woman was dragged out of her bath by 11 police officers after she referred in a private text message to a man who allegedly violently assaulted her as “a faggot”.
“And victims of violent crime aren’t the only people who lack free speech rights in Europe.
“In Sweden, an activist called Rasmus Paladin was jailed after he burned a Quran and referred it to Islam as gay Islam.
“Finally, in Germany, a man faced a criminal investigation for referring it to Green Party leader Ricardo Lang as “fat”.
“There are many more I could go on, but it’s important to note,” Rogers said, “that the European censorship bureaucracy often postures as populist fighting against big tech. “Yet, none of the people I listed as a large tech company, these are ordinary Europeans and one Brit who were punished by their governments for saying what they thought was true or just what they felt. Like saying in a free society that shouldn’t happen. So, which is it? Mr. Brandstatter, is there no censorship in Europe, or do we all have to follow your rules?” Rogers asked.
I’m traveling in Europe on a diplomatic passport, so I thought I’d take this opportunity to say a few things ordinary Europeans (and Brits) can’t. https://t.co/CazvGQ31at pic.twitter.com/drgkXQ6S9P
— Under Secretary of State Sarah B. Rogers (@UnderSecPD) December 6, 2025
OH ,THE HORRIFIC WASTE OF AMERICAN LIVES, RESOURCES AND MONEY THAT WAS EXPENDED TO “FREE” EUROPE AND BRITAIN FROM NAZI FASCISM…ONLY TO BE REPLACED BY THEIR OWN TOTALITARIAN FASCISM 80 YEARS LATER !!!
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