NGOs Fear Muslim Brotherhood’s Expanding Influence in Europe Through Civil Society Fronts

On Sunday, organizers held a protest in front of the United Nations buildings in Geneva. They issued a statement explaining the background of the demonstration and the events that transpired. According to the organizers, the event was held in an effort to express growing concerns regarding what they consider the alarming expansion of the Muslim Brotherhood’s influence within European societies through civil, cultural, and service-oriented fronts.

European and African Organizations participated in the protest, amongst which are the European Center for Peace and Conflict Resolution, as well as the Euro-African Humanitarian Coalition, along with a significant number of public figures and politicians. The participants called on international institutions and the United Nations to seriously consider what they described as a growing threat to the security and stability of European societies.

The organizers stated that participants began arriving at the United Nations square in the early morning hours, with the demonstration officially scheduled to begin at 2:00 PM, as authorized by the Swiss authorities. Despite the rainy weather, demonstrators held up banners reading: “No to the Muslim Brotherhood in Europe,” “An organization under the guise of humanitarianism,” and “Time for accountability.”

According to the organizers, the gathering was confronted with attacks by individuals believed to be affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood. As the organizers’ statement shared that, these individuals used sharp objects and violent means to disrupt the peaceful demonstration, resulting in injuries ranging from moderate to minor amongst the participants.

Furthermore, the organizers added that the escalation of events prompted the intervention of the Swiss Police, thus, the latter, according to their account, arrested several individuals suspected of involvement in the aforementioned attacks in an effort to restore order and ensure the safety of the participants.

In which regard, the organizers affirmed that they have initiated legal proceedings and filed lawsuits against all those suspected of involvement in the attack, as well as those they believe are behind the attacks, so as to ensure that such incidents do not recur in the future, and to prevent them from becoming a threat to public gatherings within the European Union.

For their part, the organizers believed the events that took place a clear indication of the dangers of exploiting civil society as a cover for practices that threaten societal security. They called on European and international institutions to take effective steps to protect civil society and uphold the values of peace and security.

In conclusion, the organizers stressed the importance of strengthening coordination amongst EU Member States and supporting the legal and institutional mechanisms that guarantee the stability of European societies as well as protect the values of democracy and the rule of law.