Thousands of people marched in Brussels on Sunday against a UN pact aimed at fostering cooperation on migration with security forces firing tear gas and water cannon after some refused to disperse.
Al-Jazeera (h/t Maurice)The demonstration eclipsed a smaller one in support of the migration deal, the signing of which brought down Belgium’s government last week.
Police said some 5,500 people marched in the bigger protest organised by Flemish right-wing parties in the part of the capital where main European Union institutions are located. Local authorities initially banned the protest for fear of violence erupting, but Belgium’s high court overturned the ban, citing the right to protest peacefully.
However, police had to use tear gas and water cannon on protesters after some became violent when they were asked to leave. A separate counter-demonstration of about 1,000 people, organized by left-wing groups and non-governmental organisations, took place in the city centre.
Belgian right-wing N-VA, the biggest party in parliament, pulled its ministers from the ruling coalition last week after Prime Minister Charles Michel refused its demand that he not sign the UN migration compact in Marrakech.
Michel secured a large parliamentary majority in favour of maintaining Belgium’s support of the UN text, with support from the opposition socialists and greens. Critics said the N-VA’s move was the opening shot in a campaign before federal elections in May.
The UN pact was agreed to in July by all 193 UN members except the United States, but only 164 formally signed it at the meeting last Monday.
Rebel Patriot says
The protesters must understand. Protesting will not get you anywhere. If they really want to save their countries, war is now the only option I see.
Sharon Hutchinson says
Wish these protestors hadn’t waited so long to rise up against the globalist forces. This “pact” will destroy the Western world. Honestly it was getting to the point where I believed there was no fight left in these people. Glad I was proved wrong.
it's me says
this “Pact” is a declaration of war against the west.
Lincoln Applegate Hahn says
So, every monkey and bush meat eater from the former Belgium Congo …. can now move to Belgium …. that alone would be 81 million new Belgians …. then there’s Rwanda, Uganda …. that’s a lot of piles of Kinshasa to step over ?