Brussels bans Anti-Marrakech march. Organisers determined to march.
The City of Brussels and the Brussels regional authorities have banned Sunday's march against the UN's Global Compact on Migration. Security services in the Belgian and Flemish capital fear for rioting if the so called Anti-Marrakech march was allowed to go ahead, but the organisers intend to flout the ban. All demonstrations across the Brussels Region have been banned next Sunday.
Several right wing and far right wing organisations wanted to demonstrate to protest their disagreement with the Global Compact that brought down PM Michel's first government. They include student organisations like KVHV, NSV and Schild en Vrienden, the Vlaams Belang youth section and the far right wing organisation Voorpost. The Mayor of Brussels and the Prime Minister of the Brussels Region, both Francophone socialists, decided to ban the demo after the security services cited worries the protest could lead to rioting. The mayor and the Brussels PM insist that a "brown" march cannot be allowed in Brussels.
By introducing a blanket ban on protests across the Brussels Region Brussels PM Vervoort is ensuring the march can't be moved to another Brussels borough. Both the mayor and Mr Vervoort have asked the organisers to contact the police with a view to agreeing a new date.
The organisers intend to ignore the ban and let the march go ahead on Sunday. Filip Brusselmans of KVHV: "We are basing our action on the right to gather and the right to free expression. We are not looking for a confrontation with the police."
The march organisers are also considering recourse to the council of state to get the ban ditched.
(archive photo)