Dries Van Langenhove gave a lecture on Wednesday evening in a KU Leuven building. The announcement stated that it would be about regenerative agriculture, but the Schild & Friends founder fired off one controversial statement after another. He talked about how “it makes sense that fewer black Africans graduate as engineers, but that they are better long-distance runners, because there are differences between ethnic groups.” He labeled Roma women as thieves.
LOOK. Audio recording reveals Dries Van Langenhove’s statements during KU Leuven discussion evening
Unia is now opening an investigation into the statements. Initially, the equal opportunities center collects information about the language used by Van Langenhove and whether it may be discriminatory and/or hateful. No reports have been received from people at the center, but Unia has decided to start a file itself based on signals and reports from the media.
KU Leuven, the university whose lecture took place in one of the buildings, has already announced that it will file a complaint against the statements. The Nationalist Student Association NSV, which had invited Van Langenhove to speak, is prohibited from using KU Leuven buildings for their activities until at least the end of 2025.
Dries Van Langenhove faces a prison sentence of two years for violations of, among other things, racism and negationism legislation. The court will make its ruling on March 12, but Van Langenhove immediately announced that he would appeal.
WATCH ALSO. Two years in prison demanded against Dries Van Langenhove