Friday Morning, political scientist and LGBT+ activist Rémy Bonny was violently thrown out of the World Congress of Families’ annual summit in Verona.
After he was denied entrance, he left the property. Nonetheless, he followed a press cohort following WCF Chairman Brian Brown. After WCF press officers and security identified Bonny they violently thrown him out.
“Since WCF is always declaring that they are open for anyone and able to debate in a respectful way, I registered myself as a journalist over a month ago. The form immediately said that I was registered. Therefore, I travelled to Verona. Just to observe. Nothing else.”
“After I asked Brown about the links with Russian oligarchs and American alt-right, the spokesperson of WCF recognised me and told the security to remove me. Before they removed me they found it necessary to throw some homophobic slur at me.”
Bonny is researching the links of the World Congress of Families with the Russian government and their links with EU government officials. “Most probably the journalists get screened by Russian Intelligence services before the conference starts. I got denied interview requests with Russian affiliated organisations before. But this is the first time they use violence against me.”, according to Bonny.
This year several EU-government officials are taking part in the event: Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini and a lot of is cabinet members, also the Hungarian Minister for Families and Youth Katalin Novak is taking part again. “My research shows that Novak has very close links with Russian government officials. She has been taking part in the conference already several times. Her links are the most frightening.”
A full speakers list can be found here.
Pictures of Rémy Bonny and pictures of WCF taken by Rémy Bonny can be found here.
Bonny is available for more questions via WhatsApp (+32 495 81 91 14, please send a message first, he will call you back) or e-mail .
Rémy Bonny 