4,500 people take part in march in Brussels against far-right and racism

Thousands of people took part in a march against the far-right and racism and for a solidarity social project in Brussels on Sunday afternoon. According to police estimates, there were about 4,500 participants.

In the aftermath of last week's election, where far-right Vlaams Belang received 22.7 per cent of the vote in Flanders and 178 far-right MEPs were elected, a protest action against the far-right and racism took place in Brussels on Sunday.

"Many of us were shocked by the results of the 9 June elections. These showed a breakthrough of the far-right on a European scale," said one of the organisers. The aim of the march, an initiative of the Antifascist Coordination of Belgium, is to show future governments that they do not want right-wing policies in Belgium. The intense process of far-right politicisation by N-VA and MR is also named as a reason to mobilise.

The demonstration, in which students, parents and children participated, caused serious disruptions to public transport. In addition, protestors damaged the headquarters of Vlaams Belang, spraying anarchist tags, lighting smoke bombs and dumping waste containers in front of the building.

^{A march against fascism and right-wing political parties on 16 June in Brussels © BELGA PHOTO NICOLAS MAETERLINCK}