Crane protests in Brussels coming to an end

31 July 2008

BRUSSELS – Asylum seekers are giving up their protest actions on cranes at building sites after a court ordered them to come down.

A Brussels court had ruled that the cranes near the de Brouckère Square had to be abandoned.

About 25 sans-papiers (people without legal documents) climbed down of their own free will.

However, a small number of crane protesters were determined not to give their actions up. They will probably be removed from the crane by members of the fire brigade.

Local authorities have warned protesters who refuse to come down that they will be removed by force and may end up in a closed detention centre from where they will be expelled.

Most of the so-called sans-papiers are illegal immigrants who demand a legal permit to stay in Belgium. Some just want a work permit while others are demanding their regularisation.

text by flandersnews.be / Expatica
photos by Andy Carling