A "Red Line for Gaza": As Many As 250,000 Pro-Palestinians March in Brussels
Tens of thousands march through the streets of Brussels against Israel and Belgium’s ties with it. Organizers expect up to a quarter of a million participants after the government’s decision to impose sanctions on Jerusalem and recognize a Palestinian state.
TwitterBrussels, once the quiet seat of EU bureaucracy, turned into a sea of red this Sunday. Under the slogan “Red Line for Gaza” and “Red Card for Politicians,” tens of thousands poured into the Belgian capital to demand stronger action against Israel.
The march, organized by the pro-Palestinian network 11.11.11 International Solidarity, drew families, activists, and students, with organizers estimating the crowd could swell to 250,000 people at its peak.
The protest comes days after Belgium’s federal government announced sanctions on Israel and a move to formally recognize Palestine as a state. For activists, however, this was too little, too late.
“These are only minimal steps,” organizers said. “The time for compromise has passed. As long as the bombings, the siege, and hunger continue, we will keep the pressure on, in parliament and in the streets.”
Organizers even set up a quiet zone for parents with small children, underlining the movement’s broad social reach. Demonstrators were asked to come dressed in red, waving symbolic ‘red cards’ not only against Israel, but also against Belgian and European complicity, from politicians to businesses.
This was the second such demonstration in Brussels in just months. In June, more than 110,000 took part in a similar march. Sunday’s turnout suggests the movement is swelling, not fading, as Belgium finds itself at the center of Europe’s most visible pro-Palestinian mobilization.
From the EU’s halls of power to the city’s packed boulevards, Brussels is becoming the epicenter of Europe’s pro-Palestinian street politics.