Belgium's Court of Cassation has rejected appeals by members of the far-right movement, Schild & Vrienden, against their conviction for violations of anti-racism laws, Holocaust denial legislation, and weapons laws.
The actions of Dries Van Langenhove and four others were exposed in a VRT report on the Flemish far-right aired on 5 September 2018.
The investigation exposed racist, anti-Semitic, sexist, and pro-violent exchanges between Schild & Vrienden members on private online forums.
In March 2024, Van Langenhove and his four co-defendants were convicted in the first instance, prompting them to appeal the decision.
On 20 June 2025, the court of appeal sentenced Van Langenhove to a one-year suspended prison term and a €1,600 fine.
Two co-defendants received three-month suspended sentences and €1,600 fines, while the remaining two were subjected to fines of the same amount coupled with 80 and 60 hours of community service respectively.
The defendants lodged appeals with the Court of Cassation, arguing that evidence derived from an excluded expert report had been used, the conviction lacked sufficient justification, and a key witness had not been heard. They also claimed the case should be dismissed due to procedural delays and unclear evidence.
The prosecutor-general of the Court of Cassation countered that there was no basis to overturn the appellate court’s decision.
According to the prosecutor, the defence’s arguments stemmed from misinterpretations of the court’s ruling or a flawed understanding of the law.
X and Tesla owner Elon Musk has voiced support for Dries Van Langenhove on his social media platform.
