Some 50 climate activists staged a peaceful act of protest in Antwerpen-Centraal on Monday in an effort to denounce a political discourse on the environment which they qualify as inaccurate or false.
Seemingly impassive to the bustle around them, the members of the Extinction Rebellion group entered the station at around midday, scattered across the halls and passed their message to observers in silence.
They held up protest signs with messages such as: "in seven years, the number of cars has gone up by one fourth"; "6.5 million tons of waste end up in the ocean every year," or that "11,000 scientists predicted that an incalculable number of victims would result from the climate crisis."
Passers-by in the station were also handed flyers with information by the activists, some of which had the climate action group's logo painted in black across their faces.
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The demonstration was also organised as a way to "thank" travellers who use public transportation, while at the same time warning them that authorities distributed "incorrect information" about the climate crisis.
"The government must tell the truth: the Earth is warming up rapidly and the problem is only getting worse," An Deleu, an Extinction Rebellion activists told Le Soir.
In the image of the other Extinction Rebellion protests in Belgium and abroad, the protest on Monday was carried out by group members of all ages, with images of the demonstration showing teenagers, adults and older citizens taking part.
The demonstration on Monday required no police intervention, with the demonstrations dispersing by themselves after around 20 minutes of demonstration.
Gabriela Galindo
The Brussels Times
