Pro-Palestinian protest march arrives in Brussels, calls for EU action against Israel
The activists who began a protest march from Paris to Brussels more than a week ago arrived in the Belgian capital on Monday afternoon, demanding that the European Union take action “against the genocide Israel is committing in the Gaza Strip” and suspend its association agreement with Israel.
The march began on Sunday, 15 June, at the Pavillon Villette in central Paris. Over the course of eight days, the demonstrators passed through several cities, including Beauvais, Cambrai, Lille, and Roubaix. By around 12:30 p.m. on Monday, hundreds of activists reached Schuman Square in Brussels, near the main EU institutions.
The demonstrators are urging EU leaders to apply maximum pressure on the Israeli government to halt its military campaign in Gaza. In an open letter to EU High Representative Kaja Kallas, they demanded an end to all military cooperation with Israel, including the supply of arms and equipment. EU Defence ministers were in Brussels on Monday to discuss the situation in Gaza.
"Stop Arming Israel"
Also on Monday, hundreds of activists blocked the headquarters of chemical company Syensqo in Brussels and defence contractor OIP Sensor Systems in Tournai, accusing them of complicity in Israel’s military operations in Gaza. Both actions were part of the broader "Stop Arming Israel" campaign.
In Brussels, protesters blocked entrances to Syensqo’s industrial site and painted red slogans on the walls. They accused the company of supplying Israel with a “key component” for its drones. In response, Syensqo said its composite materials are used in a wide variety of sectors, including automotive and civil and military aviation, and that it takes human rights “very seriously.”
“Elbit is the industrial arm of genocide in Palestine”
In Tournai, around 150 activists occupied the premises of OIP Sensor Systems, which is fully owned by the Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems. Protesters claim the company supplies around 85 per cent of drones used by the Israeli military. “Elbit is the industrial arm of genocide in Palestine,” the group said.
OIP CEO Freddy Versluys said the protest caused approximately 1 million euro in damages and delayed its shipment of armoured vehicles to Ukraine by about a month. He also emphasised that OIP operates independently and has not manufactured defence systems for Israel in the past 20 years.
© BELGA PHOTO LOU LAMPAERT
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