Two activists from Code Rood group under electronic monitoring after house searches ​

Following house searches on Wednesday as part of a judicial investigation into the Code Rood (Code Red) action group, fifteen people have been detained. Two suspects have been placed under electronic monitoring. The investigation concerns violent protests at the food company Cargill in Ghent and the steel company ArcelorMittal in Charleroi.

The climate action group Code Rood describes itself as “a movement for acts of civil disobedience, founded by activists and supported by various organisations and action groups”. The umbrella organisation originated in the Netherlands but has also been active in Belgium for several years.

For instance, there have already been actions at various sites of the oil company TotalEnergies, in the Antwerp port area and also at agri-giant Cargill in the port of Ghent in early March 2025. During the latter action, “a great deal of material damage was caused”, the Coordination Unit for Threat Analysis (CUTA) stated earlier in a briefing note on Code Rood, warning that certain factions within the organisation had become “radicalised”.

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The East Flanders Public Prosecutor’s Office confirmed on Friday that an investigation has been launched following complaints regarding two actions by Code Red at Cargill in the Port of Ghent and at ArcelorMittal in Charleroi.

“Among other things, serious damage was caused there, cables were cut, emergency stops were activated and barriers were destroyed. These actions posed a risk of explosion and fatal gas leaks, as well as causing significant material damage,” said the public prosecutor’s office. The investigation led to 19 searches being carried out on Wednesday at various locations across Belgium: Saint-Gilles, Antwerp, Hainaut, Saint-Josse-ten-Noode, Bruges, Ghent, Lochristi, Diest, Liège, Yvoir, Brussels and Anderlecht.

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Fifteen suspects were detained and questioned by the East Flanders Federal Judicial Police. On Thursday, six of them were brought before the investigating judge in Ghent, who decided to place two individuals under electronic surveillance. The two suspects placed under electronic surveillance are due to appear before the Ghent pre-trial chamber on Tuesday, which will decide on their continued detention and the conditions thereof.

Code Rood issued a press release about the police operation against the activists. “The police broke down their front doors, searched their homes, and seized their phones, laptops and notes, as well as those of their partners and housemates. All this took place in the presence of their children, friends and family. A traumatic experience for everyone involved,” stated Code Rood. “We condemn the depoliticisation of our actions by labelling them as ‘criminal’ and ‘violent’.”

^{Protest action at Cargill in Gent, organised by the civil disobedience action platform Code Red/Code Rood © BELGA PHOTO VICTOR VAN KERCKHOVE}