The organisers were 4 flemish and 1 student from Brussels who organized a march to call for national unity and demand a government after seven months of political impasse, which is a sad European or maybe even worldwide record. And all that because the elected Flemish party has been unable to agree on a government in negotiations with Francophone Socialists.
The only thing they tried to do was to convince the Belgians that French speaking and Flemish speaking people have to hate each other and that the country should be devided.
Fortunately that didn't work at all. The people with an exception of a very small amount of extremists on both sides, wanted to stay together, being Belgians in Belgium.
Therefore about 50,000 people joined the "Shame: no government, great country" march in Brussels yesterday.
The four young students who managed to gather 50.000 people on the street
English was used to show their disagreement with the politicians who want to devide the country.
An idea of the crowds who went throught the streets, peacefully talking together, in a cheerful atmosphere. No significant incident was noticed. The police had only to do a "decorative" job. That's what a friend has told me, who has participated with her two sons.
Some parents had painted their kids faces with the Belgium flag colors.
Students, written in Flemish enraged written in French
Lots of very funny banners full of humor were carried by the people. Here one says "Welcome in Clownistan" referring to the politicians who are acting like clowns. There were also banners saying "Clowns belong into a circus" and "We want beer, chips and a government".
One of the organisers, Thomas Decreus, said the march was meant to show that "the people can act where politicians fail: i.e., working together across the language barrier".
You can read more about this manifestation here on BBC.
I took the photos from our TV while I was watching the News.
more participants here
Great that the Belgians want to stay together and speak up with so many. I love Belgium and have been there many times.
ReplyDeleteI think it's wonderful and proves that huge numbers of people can protest the same things across language barriers and without violence. Ordinary people seem to have that capability, it's the politicians who fail there and all too many other ways as well. Great post for the day, Gattina! Hope your week is going well!
ReplyDeleteSylvia
Gattina, I didn't know that this was happening in Belgium. Thank goodness for those young students and for those who want to stay "one Belgium." Good luck! :)
ReplyDeleteGood for those students! There are people who want to divide Canada but they haven't succeeded.
ReplyDeleteI hope Belgium stays one country!!
-- K
Kay, Alberta, Canada
An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel
Another Canadian here, and yes, it is shameful what your gov't has been trying to do. Having a political party with a mandate to break up the country only breeds more contempt.
ReplyDeleteIt is good that so many people turned out to support the cause. Lets hope the government listen to you all.
ReplyDeleteI must be living on some other planet - I was not even aware of the situation in Belgium.
ReplyDeleteOf course they should stay together.
ReplyDeleteand how do we live without politics today?
I wish it wasn't so. People have to enjoy their lives and live in peace and no one needs these agitators all the time promoting violence.
People are dying everywhere. It's all so sad.
I didn't know all this was happening in Belgium, I have enough trouble trying to follow politics here.
ReplyDeleteI think some politicions live by the old saying "Divide and Conquer"
awwww... I thought you were there! And now I find you marched in front of your TV, (:
ReplyDeleteGood for you Gattina! It's really great that Belgians are united in this thing. More often than not the people speak better sense than politicians.
ReplyDeleteYes, I watched the march on tv!
ReplyDeleteFantastic!!! People realise their future can't be managed by those politician who live on an other planet!!!!
Totally fabulous! I wish we could have a march like that over here!!!! I'm very impressed and applauding the Belgian people!!!
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