“What future do we want?”: activists gather in Brussels to protest against “excesses of overconsumption”

Around thirty activists organized a symbolic action in Brussels to raise public awareness of the environmental and social impacts of consumerism. Thirteen of them were arrested.

This Friday afternoon, in the middle of Black Friday, around thirty activists from the “Growth Kills” and “Scientist Rebellion” collectives mobilized in Brussels, rue Neuve. Their target: Inno, a department store symbol of the consumer society. These activists denounced what they call the excesses of overconsumption, which they accuse of contributing to the ecological crisis and eroding social bonds.

In a striking display, activists arranged chairs in a circle in front of the store and launched a public debate on the consequences of overconsumption. A central banner called out to passers-by: “QWhat future do we want?”. This was stuck on a large advertisement for the Tommy Hilfiger brand, suspended a few meters from the ground.

A call to reflect and act

To reinforce their message, some activists, dressed in white coats to symbolize their scientific role, approached passers-by. They invited them to think about their consumption habits and participate in their discussion circle. Others displayed a banner bearing an explicit message: “Let’s redirect collective energy towards what really matters”.

Although the action took place peacefully, the police intervened, arresting thirteen demonstrators. This type of symbolic operation draws more and more attention to the link between overconsumption and environmental crisis, an issue that activists wish to put at the heart of public debates.

Black Friday Brussels Rue Neuve