Protestors wheeled out five camp beds symbolising Charleroi, Liège, Brussels, Antwerp and Ghent – the cities affected by federal cuts to the Cold Weather Plan.
It was part of a demonstration held by several homelessness organisation illustrated their protest action on Wednesday in Brussels in front of the federal Ministry of Social Integration.
Anneleen Van Bossuyt (N-VA), Minister for Asylum, Migration and Social Integration in the so-called Arizona coalition, decided in September to cut the €65,000 federal subsidy allocated to these cities.
"This €65,000 is used to support teams on the ground," explained Christine Vanhessen, director of the Federation of Homeless Shelters and Services (AMA).
"This amount is equivalent to two social workers in Brussels, several nights' accommodation during the winter programme in other cities across the country."
Homeless people find shelter in a hallway of the Porte de Namur. Credit: Belga
On the ground, the situation looks complicated. "Our centres are full to capacity and we are expecting successive waves of people on the streets in November and December," explained Philip De Buck, director of the Saint-Gilles day centre run by the non-profit organisation l'Ilot.
"Where will we end up when the centres are full? On the streets?" said one beneficiary.
"In the name of human dignity", the associations are calling on the government to reverse its decision, arguing that the executive is making savings at the expense of the poorest. "Belgium has committed to ending homelessness by 2030," Christine Vanhessen pointed out. "We'll never get there".
Philip De Buck also painted a pessimistic picture of the situation.
"We get very little support. We no longer have a voice because nobody cares about the poor. People want peace and quiet and are fed up with doom and gloom." Nevertheless, he remained hopeful.
"There is a groundswell of human support, with volunteers and citizens stepping in to make up for the shortcomings of the voluntary sector."
