Clashes took place between police and demonstrators during a gathering of several hundred people in the capital, organized as a sign of protest against the arrival of the president of the National Rally (RN), Jordan Bardella. The latter was expected at 6:30 p.m. at the Maison de la Hungary to present his first book and give a signing session.
From 6:00 p.m., the crowd gathered at the intersection of Avenue des Arts and Rue de la Loi, at the call of several collectives including the Antifascist Coordination of Belgium (CAB), the Popular University of Brussels, the Ades network or the Antifascist Front of Liège. “The far right kills“, displayed the sign of a demonstrator.
Around 6:30 p.m., some demonstrators tried to force the police blockade, before police officers drew batons, tear gas and jets of water on the crowd. Firecrackers and fireworks were then thrown by some demonstrators.
“Faced with the rise of fascism and the far right throughout the world“, the organizers of the demonstration reiterate the need to mobilize so that “Brussels remains anti-fascist“.
According to the collectives, it is no coincidence that “Jordan Bardella’s book is published by Fayard – under the control of billionaire Vincent Bolloré – and if the event is hosted by the House of Hungary, while Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is the model to follow for all extremes – right of the world“.
From 4:30 p.m., the police ordered the Stib to close the Parc metro station, and blocked access to numerous streets surrounding the neutral zone, in which the Maison de Hungary is located.
Belga – Photo : Belga
Belgium