Print
Close
Authoritarian governments blocking internet is new Berlin Wall, says US ambassador to Germany
By Julia Musto
Published November 09, 2019
The Western world has to "remind ourselves" that government censorship still exists in many countries even today, U.S. Ambassador to Germany Ric Grenell said Saturday.
Saturday marks the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.
GERMANY, ALLIES CELEBRATE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BERLIN WALL FALL
The Brandenburg Gate, on the East Berlin side of the Wall, was the backdrop for President Ronald Reagan's famous 1987 speech when he challenged Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to go further with the reforms he was instituting.
"If you seek liberalization, come here to this gate," Reagan said. "Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall."
Appearing on "Cavuto LIVE" with host Neil Cavuto, Grenell said, "We have to today remember that we still have governments around the world that try to limit information, try to stop the internet in their countries...they're trying to limit the free-flow and free information of their people."
"So, we have a different way that the state is moving to control the behavior of individuals, and we have to constantly remember that we fight back against that and that we can be successful," he told Cavuto.
Grenell said a potential solution would be to "look for ways, as the U.S. government, to push forward this technology that allows government censors to fall."
CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS APP
"All of the trappings that authoritarian governments put up to limit that information via the internet -- I think that's the wall today," he stated. "And, we have the ability, the West has the ability, to go around government censors whether it's in Iran or Cuba or China. And, I think that we have to be able to do that and be on the side of giving people more information."
"That's what the West stands for and we have to remind ourselves that we still have those challenges today," he told Cavuto.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
https://www.foxnews.com/media/ric-grenell-berlin-wall-30th-anniversary-neil-cavuto-live