Tens of thousands of people gathered at 1:00 PM on Sunday in front of Brussels North Station for a "Together for Freedom" demonstration.
Belga News Agency reports that the participants want to protest against the health pass, which they believe is a divisive factor in society.
The procession started at 1:25 PM instead of 2:00 PM due to the many people present, with few people wearing masks. Many came to protest without signs.
Around 35,000 people attended, according to the estimate of the Brussels-Ixelles police.
The City of Brussels authorised the demonstration, said Brussels-Ixelles police spokeswoman Ilse Van de keere. A route to the rue de la Loi was agreed upon with the police. "We are expecting several thousand participants," Van de Keere told HLN. "Our people will accompany the crowd from the North Station to Kleine Wetstraat, as is always the case when a demonstration is authorised."
Police have said they do not expect protests to end in a similar situation to the riots in Rotterdam on Friday evening. "The Police is prepared, is consulting with the organisers and will take the necessary measures," Van de keere said.
A podium has been set up at the finish line to make speeches, with the march expected to end around 5:00 PM.
"We denounce the restrictive measures of freedom, which have not been a structural solution for health care," the organisers said in their statement.
