Demonstration in Brussels to have ecocide acknowledged as a crime

According to police figures, some 140 people took to the streets in Brussels on Sunday. The protesters want Europe to recognise ecocide as a crime.

The demonstrators gathered Sunday afternoon on the Place du Luxembourg, in the European quarter of Brussels. With the slogan “Stop ecocide everywhere” they showed their support for EU members of parliament who want to have ecocide recognised as a crime. Ecocide includes, for example, massive deforestation, overfishing, soil and water pollution or deep sea mining: acts that destroy the global ecosystem and, according to the initiators of the protest, should therefore be punished.

The protesters are in favour of a much tougher approach towards the destruction of the ecosystem, says Kim Lê Quang of Rise for Climate Belgium, the citizens’ initiative behind the demonstration. Today, polluters only risk fines, which are not a sufficient deterrent according to the demonstrators.

Photo © Belga