Several thousand people demonstrated on Sunday January 9 in Brussels against the health pass and the restrictions linked to the Covid-19 pandemic, to the cries of ” Freedom “. The protesters – 5,000 according to the police – marched between the Brussels-North station to the European quarter, at the call of the movement “Together for freedom”, bringing together several associations.
Demonstrations against the health certificate – required to access restaurants and cultural events in particular – have been taking place regularly for several weeks in the Belgian capital, causing clashes with the police. Participants carried placards proclaiming “No to the vaccine dictatorship” or “Hands off our children”, with reference to the Belgian authorities’ decision to authorize vaccination for 5-11 year olds.
The march took place in peace, even if the police intervened to push back a small group of demonstrators who threw projectiles at them not far from the buildings of the European institutions. About thirty arrests took place at the end of the demonstration, according to the police, who had also arrested before the march eleven people in possession of “Pyrotechnics” and flammable material.
A desired debate in the Federal Parliament
Belgian Minister of Health Frank Vandenbroucke spoke out on Sunday in favor of the organization of a debate in the Federal Parliament “As quickly as possible” on compulsory vaccination or the establishment of a vaccination pass, as in France. He added on the TV channel RTL :
“Minds evolve. A year ago, I said: obligation is not a good idea, you have to convince people. Now, knowing that we really need to vaccinate 100% of the population, which was not our idea a year ago – we believed that 70% was enough – we still need a kind of generalization. “
However, he explained that he did not “Not at all liked the words” French President Emmanuel Macron, who said he wanted “Piss off” the unvaccinated, believing that it was necessary “Avoid this type of polarization”.
Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, who has also distanced himself from the controversial statements of the French head of state, clarified on Saturday in an interview with Evening that he could “Let yourself be convinced” the validity of the vaccination obligation.