Belgium: Flemish Parliament Disrupted by Pro-Palestinian Demonstrators

-HLN

In Belgium, the Flemish Parliament was disrupted today by pro-Palestinian activists. Sam Van Rooy, a Flemish Parliamentary member from the Vlaams Belang party (probably the only sensible party in Belgium) responded by waving a small Israeli flag in front of the little rascals, who were throwing pamphlets from the visitor’s gallery into the chamber. They were removed by police.

This, of course, is the preferred method of the pro-Palestinian, pro-Hamas crowd. They cannot debate. They cannot engage in reasoned dialogue. They ignore the horrific Hamas massacre of over 1,000 Israeli innocents on October 7. All they can do is disrupt, destroy, and resort to violence. 

The below article from today’s Dutch language news agency, HLN, is translated by Fousesquawk. We are hoping to produce English-subtitled versions of the two videos from the article.

 https://www.hln.be/binnenland/kijk-zitting-vlaams-parlement-geschorst-door-pro-palestijns-protest-militaire-politie-moet-ingrijpen~addfa9e8/

Look. Flemish Parliament suspended by pro-Palestinian protest- Military police have to intervene.

The Flemish Parliament plenary was disrupted Wednesday by a pro-Palestinian protest. A few dozen activists at a certain moment began chanting slogans, throwing pamphlets into the (chamber), and waving Palestinian flags. The activists were removed by military police, and the plenary was suspended for about ten minutes.

IBB 21 February 2024- Latest update: 16:27

 Just after 3 pm, the Flemish Parliament plenary was suddenly disrupted by activists who chanted pro-Palestinian slogans from the public gallery. They referred to the “30,000 dead” who have died in Gaza and chanted, “Not in our name” and “boycott ZIM. (ZIM is the Israeli shipping company mentioned as the transporter of Israeli weapons, also through Antwerp.)

In their pamphlet, the activists called for the “immediate halt” of all trade with Israel and “primarily the sale and transport of weapons and ammunition to this criminal nation.” “You are elected to be the people’s representatives and have the responsibility to avoid any involvement in the genocide, ” it said.

Caption above video: 

Look: Vlaams Belang Parliament leader Sam Van Rooy waves a small Israeli flag as counter-protest. 

Complaint for disturbing public order

Liebeth Homans (N-VA), the chairperson of the Flemish Parliament, suspended the meeting and asked the military police to remove the visitors. Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) Parliament member Sam Van Rooy went with a small Israeli flag in his hand to (confront) the activists. Around 3: 20 pm, the session was resumed.

A complaint was filed by the Parliament against the activists for disruption of public order. The activists all had to show their identity cards, but they were (returned) afterward.

Opposition denounces weapons transit

The leftist opposition parties, especially the Greens and PVDA are using the action to raise the issue of weapons transit to Israel through the port of Antwerp. “It is urgent that the (Flemish government) intervenes. Flanders cannot and must not be the transit point for weapons transport to Israel,” according to Flemish Parliament member Staf Aerts on X.

It is indeed incomprehensible that Flanders is the only region dragging its feet,” says Vooruit (party) faction leader Hannelore Goeman on X. “Transit through the port of Antwerp must stop.” In addition, PVDA- faction leader Jos D’Haese is joining the call. “There is an urgent need for a total military embargo to stop the flow of weapons to the catastrophe that Israel is wreaking in Gaza.”