Demonstration against racism and police violence and police deployment Porte de Namur, this 07 June in Brussels – © BELGA
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Incidents broke out in the Matonge district (Ixelles), Sunday late in the afternoon, at the end of the demonstration which peacefully gathered some 10,000 people on Place Poelaert. The cat and mouse game continued shortly after 8:00 p.m. between the thugs and the police near the Porte de Namur and in the surrounding streets. A hundred thugs attacked the police who repelled them using water cannons.
On their way, garbage cans were set on fire, barricades erected and shops looted, especially in the Chaussée d’Ixelles and along the Boulevard de Waterloo. Shortly after 8:00 p.m., a small group of thugs still stood at the Hôtel des Monnaies, where they were driven back to the Gare du Midi.
The city of Brussels said around 9 p.m. that it had already made around 150 arrests.
First political reactions
The mayor of Brussels, Philippe Close, reacted on twitter: “Groups of delinquents disturb the end of the homage to George Floyd. Our police are present in numbers. I have given orders to make arrests and immediately put an end to the public disorder“, reacted the mayor of the City, Philippe Close, on Twitter.
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Groups of delinquents disturb the end of the tribute to George Floyd. Our police are numerous. I gave orders to make arrests and end the public disorder immediately.
– Philippe Close (@PhilippeClose) June 7, 2020
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Groups of delinquents disturb the end of the tribute to George Floyd. Our police are numerous. I gave orders to make arrests and end the public disorder immediately.
– Philippe Close (@PhilippeClose) June 7, 2020
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Political reaction also on the side of the Prime Minister Sophie Wilmès. She said she regretted that an alternative could not be found to ensure compliance with health regulations.
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#BLMBelgium The cause is just and it must be able to express itself. No doubt about it. At the sight of the images, I regret that it was not possible to find an alternative that respects health regulations and efforts of those on the front line in the fight against the epidemic
– Sophie Wilmès (@Sophie_Wilmes) June 7, 2020
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The N-VA has also reacted, through its spokesperson in the Brussels parliament. The Flemish Nationalists sent a letter to Philippe Close. We can read in particular: “We very much sympathize with the anger and the indignation of the demonstrators, but it is irresponsible to gather 10,000 people without any” social distancing “. An insidious and dangerous virus is still raging. We are about to tackle this virus and we must now note that even some politicians participated in the demonstration. ”
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Amateur images
View: clashes between police and demonstrators along the Chaussée d’Ixelles
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Porte de Namur incidents
Police cars were notably attacked. The Chaussée d’Ixelles was completely sealed off at the Porte de Namur, the police pushing the troublemakers further into the neighborhood. According to our sources, the situation is beginning to return to calm. 20 to 30 police officers and at least one pumper are present on site. A helicopter flies over the area. Many passersby attended the incidents. It is not known whether the police made any arrests.
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Extract from the end of our 7:30 p.m.
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Gathering place Poelaert
The Belgian Youth Against Racism group called last week on social media to demonstrate in several cities across the country. 10,000 demonstrators in Brussels, 1,200 in Antwerp and 750 in Ghent. Belgians mobilize to denounce acts of racism and the death of the African American George Floyd.
Around 10,000 people of all ages and all skin colors gathered on Sunday afternoon at Place Poelaert in Brussels. Goal ? Demonstrate against police violence against African-Americans in the United States but also against this same violence here in Belgium, and against racism in Belgian society.
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Images of the rally at Place Poelaert (RTBF)
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Many participants carry signs with slogans like “The new racism is to deny that there is” or “All against racism “. “The murder of George Floyd has clearly awakened many people“explains Ange Kazi, spokesperson for the Belgian Network for Black Lives (BNFBL), who called for this action.”Many people are fed up with police violence that systematically affects black people“, she adds.
Present to monitor the demonstration, the police are discreet. As for the measures against covid-19, the vast majority of the demonstrators wear a mask but because of the crowd, the physical distance is difficult to respect.
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1200 people in Antwerp, arrests
It’s not just in Brussels that we are demonstrating against racism. Antwerp and Ghent have also followed suit.
Initially planned on the Green Place of Antwerp, the demonstration moved at the last moment on the Steenplein. The municipal and police authorities of the Metropolis had in fact not authorized the rally, which however took place in peace.
Some 1,200 people gathered on the Steenplein in Antwerp for a demonstration against racism. They are the members of Belgian against Racism. Participants were asked to sit on the floor, at a sufficient distance from each other. The action was originally planned on the Groenplaats, but has changed location.
Antwerp police reported late in the afternoon that 100 to 150 demonstrators were arrested on the Groenplaats. This is due to the non-respect of the distance rules. This is reported by the Antwerp police.
On Saturday, around 700 people had already gathered in Green Square to protest the death of George Floyd, the African-American who was asphyxiated by a police officer during his arrest in Minneapolis on May 25.
Around 700 in Ghent and Liège
On Sunday afternoon, around 750 people took part in a similar action in King Albert Park in Ghent. “Everything went without incident and we did not have to intervene“explains the local police in Ghent. The action was not authorized and the organizers received administrative sanctions.
Activists gathered around the statue of King Albert I. The demonstrators removed their shoes and placed them around the statue. They then observed a silence of 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the time during which George Floyd was killed.
Saturday, 700 people gathered in Liège to pay homage to George Floyd.
200 in Hasselt
On the place of Colonel Dusart in Hasselt, more than 200 participants gathered Sunday for an action “Black Lives Matter”, confirms the police of the region of Limburg in Hoofdstad. After the sit-in, the activists went to the statue of Leopold II, which was tied on the head with a white cloth.
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