Belgian companies boost security amid rising activist threats
A new international survey by G4S has revealed that Belgian firms are significantly increasing the number of private security guards they employ. This is in response to a growing perceived threat from activist groups such as Code Rood (Code Red) and Stop Arming Israel.
These findings are based on interviews with 58 Chief Security Officers (CSOs) in Belgium, conducted as part of a wider survey of 2,352 executives across 31 countries. The results are presented in the World Security Report 2025.
The report reveals that 81per cent of Belgian security managers believe that activists pose a physical threat to their companies and senior leadership, which is one of the highest rates in Europe and is only matched by the United Kingdom. The European average stands at 73 per cent.
"Companies are genuinely concerned when protest actions are announced and often request that we increase the number of guards on site," said Caroline Reding, Sales and Marketing Director of G4S Belgium. "At some port companies, that can mean doubling the number of guards, while in high-tech industries it can mean a fourfold increase."
Nearly half of Belgian companies (48 per cent) report that threats against senior executives have increased over the past two years, a figure exceeded only in France. This is notably higher than the European and global averages of 42 per cent.
Firms also expressed concern over the spread of misinformation and disinformation, with 78 per cent saying they had been targeted by such campaigns in the past year. Consequently, 74 per cent of companies intend to increase their physical security budgets.
These Belgian findings form part of G4S’s broader European survey, which covered companies in Austria, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
In recent years, Belgium has witnessed a series of high-profile environmental and geopolitical protests, particularly in its ports and energy sector, as groups have sought to disrupt fossil fuel operations and criticise arms shipments to Israel.
The most prominent groups mentioned are Code Rood and Stop Arming Israel. Code Rood is a climate justice movement that campaigns against fossil fuels and what it terms “climate destruction”. Although based in the Netherlands, the group's membership includes activists from Belgium, Germany, Denmark and the United Kingdom. It has organised cross-border blockades of energy infrastructure and port terminals.
Stop Arming Israel, on the other hand, targets companies involved in the arms trade or logistics operations linked to Israel. The group often stages demonstrations at industrial sites, ports, and arms suppliers.
The report suggests that corporate security responses are becoming more robust in parallel, reflecting both growing activism and increased concern about reputational and operational risks.
Stop Arming Israel © BELGA PHOTO TIMON RAMBOER
Code Rood © BELGA PHOTO LEE COLONIUS
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