IndyMedia - Vrij Media Centrum Nederland

Wanneer: 24/06/2014 - 23:25

Friday it was the day of arrival of the March4Freedom into Brussels, it wasn't even sure where the camp could be set up at the end of the day. But the last 20 km were again powerful. We passed the European Parlement were a press conference on the streets took place and we held a sit-in. After that we joined a manifestation for the Day of Refugees. And then we arrived at Parc Maximillia where we started to build a camp, which will be the home for the action week.

Saturday was spent by part of the camp to have meetings about organising the action week, everyone was invited to come with proposals for demonstrations and actions. Parallel a delegation of 7 cars/vans went to a support demo at the detention centre at Vottem, close to Luik.
In the evening many people of the camp joined a festival with a great and very crowded concert of Max Romeo. Of course also there we took the opportunity to spread the March4Freedom flyers and chant our songs. After the concert ended we spent over an hour with 80 people of the protest camp at the square, chanting the songs and slogans of the march. It was very powerful, with a lot of energy and very cheerful. We got a lot of nice reactions from curious bystanders. Afterwards we walked in a vivid demo in the middle of the night back to the camp. No police :)

Sunday we were first very worried about the Italian delegation who were on their way to Brussels stopped by the police at the border with France. 5 refugees were arrested. Euro-parlementarians were contacted to put pressure on a quick release. And luckily a few hours later the refugees were released. Just after that 2 big busses with refugees from Paris arrived at the camp. Right after that we left for a spontanous demonstration into the city, we passed a closed asylum centre were we paused to make contact with the people behind the fence and we visited a church that has been offering shelter to many refugees for the past years. We also stopped at the trademarket to make a short protest.

Monday there were more demonstrations. One was at the German embassy against the eviction of the refugee school in Berlin. There was a demo at the European Parlement and at the NATO headquarter. Also this morning refugees and supporters went to an immigration office close to the camp to inform the people that are standing in line to start an asylumprocedure in Brussels, about their rights, certain risks (of detention) and options for good lawyers.

The camp is still growing. Sunday evening 300 people participated. Many of whom refugees/people without papers. More people are still arriving. The atmosphere is very vibrant and empowering. Participating people are from many different countries, there are many beautiful banners and many different and strong slogans and songs. The people we meet on the street seem interested and willing to take our flyers and start reading. The camp is very much Do It Yourself, with simple basic facilities. People sleep in small tents, big tents and even outside. A collective peoples kitchen provides food 3 times a day and people of the camp are welcome to help out in the kitchen. Toilets and water connections are simple and improvised and daily cleaned by people of the camp. During the night people take shifts in securing safety in the camp. A small media tent gives access to some computers, internet and power plugs.

Tuesday was a difficult day because of the eviction of the school in Berlin. People at the camp are very angry. An action took place at the German embassy and people are thinking about more actions.
Also a visit was paid to the Dutch embassy this day. People from the We Are Here movement in Amsterdam and Recht op Bestaan in Den Haag explained in front of the embassy about the situation in the Netherlands. The demonstration demanded a proper solution and to stop the misery of migrants without papers in the Netherlands and everywhere.
In the evening the camp was focussing on the situation at the borders between Marocco and Spain and Tunisia and Europe. Also an autobiographic theatre play about the story of a migrant from Tunisia to Europe was staged.

For Wednesday new actions are planned.

On Thursday, the big demo day, transport is arranged to go back and forth from Amsterdam to Brussels. Time of departure will be around 10 o' clock in the morning. If you want to join please let us know at: freedomnotfrontexnl(at)gmail.com

here are a couple of videos made by supporters of WE ARE HERE / WIJ ZIJN HIER:
- march for freedom - last day walking and arrival in brussels
https://vimeo.com/98862434
- action @ vottem detention center
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uBWc0LLcw0
- demo @ night in brussels
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3HAkrEH3C0
- french delegation arrives in camp in brussels
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2b_HWifkYo

nice pictures: http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/inpictures/2014/06/pictures-marching-fr...

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