Members of the Dégaze Tegengas collective that participated in yesterday’s massive climate march have been occupying the headquarters of Groen and Ecolo on Rue Van Orley in Brussels since 10:00 AM Monday morning.
A day after the event drew tens of thousands of activists to the streets of Brussels, demanding immediate action to protect the planet and mitigate the effects of climate change, the occupiers are asking specifically for changes to the subsidy mechanism for gas plants.
A space in the entrance hall of the Green and Ecolo headquarters is currently occupied by about 30 people, according to Bruzz.
Banners were hung up inside as well as on the façade, with inscriptions condemning new mega-projects such as gas power stations.
Occupation du siège de @groen et @Ecolo exiger l'annulation des nouvelles centrales à gaz, qui sont inutiles, catastrophiques pour le climat, socialement injustes et non démocratiques! Plus d'infos sur https://t.co/v9q4YtDbht #OccupyEcolo #StopGaz pic.twitter.com/o1drBSQsQM
— TegengasDégaze (@TDegaze) October 11, 2021
Translation: Occupation of the headquarters of @groen and @Ecolo to demand the cancellation of new gas power plants, which are unnecessary, climate disastrous, socially unjust and undemocratic!
Dégaze Tegengas wants Ecolo climate minister Zakia Khattabi and Green energy minister Tinne van der Straeten to cancel the subsidy auction for gas plants, which takes place on 15 October.
“Walking in the climate march means choosing a 100% sustainable future, without fossil fuels, without nuclear energy and without other senseless mega-projects such as the extension of Liège Airport, the plastic factory of Ineos, the Boucle du Hainaut or the building of the Josaphat site,” said Dégaze Tegengas.
The collective says that the time for debate has passed and this occupation is the beginning of a series of protests.
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“We oppose a policy of infinite economic growth on a finite planet,” they said.
“The climate disaster is in full swing and is already hitting people in the most precarious situations in Belgium and the rest of the world. The time for feeble compromises and lobbying is over.”
Activists like those in Dégaze Tegengas and those who participated in Sunday’s march say that efforts made by the government to combat the climate crisis are undermined by it not taking the crisis seriously.
