More than 100 organisations and their supporters will gather on Sunday in Brussels for a large-scale demonstration in support of Palestine. The organisation is expecting thousands of people to draw a "symbolic red line" against the war in Gaza.
The protest's organisers, the 11.11.11 ngo for international solidarity, are expecting tens of thousands of participants. Several Belgian and Brussels celebrities will also take part, alongside 130 civil society organisations, including cultural centres such as Ancienne Belgique and BRONKS.
"We are drawing a red line for Gaza, literally and figuratively. That line has long been crossed," the organisation said. "It is time for Europe to finally acknowledge it and take action. With a red line – a chain of thousands of people dressed in red – we aim to create a powerful visual and moral statement."
This chain aims to take a stand against "the relentless violence towards civilians, against starvation – but also against the attitude of European governments that preach human rights, yet stand by and watch." They want to deliver a message on the eve of the UN Summit on Palestine, which begins on 17 June 2025 in New York.
No hate, no violence
The march will start at 14:00 on Sunday at the North Station, with speeches by both Palestinian and Jewish voices, live music and testimonials. Well-known Belgian artists such as Tamino, Zwangere Guy, Koen Wauters and Tine Embrechts will perform.
Writer and activist Dalilla Hermans will speak, and a video message from Gaza is expected as well. At 14:45, the march will start making its way to Place Jean Rey in the European Quarter, where the protest will end around 17:00.
"Mobility-wise, we are advising drivers to avoid the area of the protest. The route of the march will be closed off. We will communicate more clearly about the exact streets on the day of the protest," a spokesperson for the Brussels-Capital/Ixelles police zone told The Brussels Times.
The organisers are calling on participants to wear or bring something red as a symbol of solidarity: clothing, signs and/or scarves. Additionally, only Palestinian flags are allowed – political flags or flags of other organisations are not welcome. Racist or violent statements will not be tolerated, nor will statements of anti-Semitism, Islamophobia or the glorification of violence, they stressed.
A Pro-Palestinian demonstration organised by a series of civil society organisations opposing the war in Gaza, in Ghent, Saturday 22 June 2024. Credit: Belga / Victor Van Kerckhove
The organisation emphasised that this is a widely supported call to action. Not only trade unions, NGOs, youth organisations and cultural centres are behind the action, but polls also indicate strong public support: 70% of respondents in a recent survey by Le Soir said they support European sanctions against Israel.
"Human rights rhetoric rings increasingly hollow when silence prevails around Gaza. From Brussels, the heart of Europe, we expect moral leadership and decisive action," the organisation said. "As long as politicians fail to draw the red line, we will do so as citizens."
In at least 25 schools, some 5,000 pupils came to school dressed in red as a sign of solidarity this week. Due to exams, many of them will not be able to participate in the march, but they wanted to show their commitment through this symbolic action.
More actions to come
In May, Belgium's Federal Government reached an agreement on a resolution containing a series of measures against Israel, as well as urgent humanitarian support to the Palestinian civilian population in Gaza. Now, 11.11.11 wants to use the 'Red line' campaign to urge the government to deliver on those promises.
The action is inspired by a similar initiative in The Hague, where an estimated 100,000 people formed a red line on 18 May – the largest protest in recent Dutch history. On 15 June, The Hague will once again mobilise. More Red Line actions will also follow in Sweden, Denmark, Italy and even in Canada (in Québec) later this month.
Israel's war in Gaza was triggered by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, which saw around 1,200 people killed and 251 taken hostage. Currently, at least 56 hostages remain in Gaza – of whom around 20 are believed to be alive.
Meanwhile, more than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed during Israel's military campaign, according to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry.
