The citizens’ collective Respect Brussels has announced that it will organise a "giant picnic" in the capital on 9 June, one year after the regional elections and the start of the "political paralysis" in Brussels.
This "large peaceful picnic" will begin at 12:00 on 9 June in the Place de la Bourse. This mobilisation is part of a broader strategy.
"A petition as a lever, action in the public space and the active involvement of citizens in the future of their city," summarises Respect Brussels. According to the collective, it is clear that Brussels politicians "cannot do it alone".
Artists, civil servants, employers, workers, freelancers and business leaders: "Everyone who loves Brussels is welcome, with a blanket, a meal, friends, family and ideas," say the organisers. More than just a traditional demonstration, the idea is to share a convivial moment to express ‘love and concern’ for the city.
A picnic on the Boulevard Anspach in Brussels, in front of the Bourse stock exchange building, Sunday 08 June 2014. Brussels' residents organized the 'Picnic the Streets 2014' event to ask a better mobility plan for the city centre. Credit: Belga
This gathering follows an initial action last March, when more than a hundred people observed 89 minutes of silence on the steps of the Stock Exchange to denounce the political deadlock – one minute for each Brussels MP. ‘Since then, the indignation has only grown,’ say the organisers.
"Our beautiful but troubled capital is being damaged by incompetence, contempt, clientelism and partisan games," they point out. "Brussels will not allow itself to be locked into a rigid community framework. If elected representatives renounce their responsibilities, it is up to the citizens to act. Brussels deserves much better."
The collective is calling for a thorough reform of the current political structures in order to achieve "effective governance that respects the identity and reality of Brussels." They also urge politicians to engage in ‘genuine collaboration’ with the population.
