Around 250 undocumented migrants protested in front of the Migrants Office in Brussels, in memory of the 2 asylum seekers who committed suicide last week, at midday on Tuesday. Stones were thrown at police forces and a bus shelter was damaged. The march then moved towards the office of Theo Francken, Secretary of State for Asylum, Migration and Administrative Simplification. Last Thursday, Oumar Dansokho, a 25-year-old Guinean set himself on fire in the Fedasil (Federal Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers) building. He died the following day at the Neder-over-Heembeek military hospital. That same Thursday, Benamar Lamri, a 42-year-old Moroccan hung himself at the closed Merksplas centre.
The protesters were carrying 2 coffins made of fabric, which were symbolically burned in front of the Migrants Office.
The protest took place in a very tense atmosphere. The many members of the police force stationed near the Fedasil building were targeted by stones. Protesters also damaged a bus shelter. The march then made for Theo Francken’s office where the protest was due to continue early in the afternoon.
(Source: Belga)
