Many thousands of people, 5,000, according to the police, have developed today in Brussels protesting for the closure of the cultural halls imposed by the authorities to deal with the spread of the SARS-COV-2 variant variant.
“Not in this stupid decree”, “Unlike the economy, culture enriches us” and “Without culture, there is no future”, wrote the posters held by the gathered. Some wore carnival masks and the atmosphere was festive.
Despite the drizzle, those gathered remained for two hours on the streets of Mont de Arz, the historic district of Brussels, home to many museums.
The demonstration ended without incident.
The heads of many cultural institutions in Brussels, such as the Royal Flemish Theater (KVS) and the La Monet Opera House, have called on politicians to “reconsider” the decision to close theaters today. The measure was announced last Wednesday and was taken “for precautionary reasons”, due to the high transmissibility of the Omicron variant.
The 4th wave of the pandemic continues to recede in Belgium, the absolute numbers of infections have been falling for three weeks and government advisers have not suggested new measures for the cultural sector at this stage, although the situation remains marginal in hospitals. Speaking of “inconsistency” or even “absurdity”, many health experts have publicly denounced the decision, given that cafes and restaurants may continue to operate across the country, under certain conditions.
“Once again, we are creating inequalities and blocking access to culture,” said Virginia Cordier, director of the La Vènerie Cultural Center in Watermal-Bouchafort. Others pointed out that it was important to keep theaters and cinemas open “for the mental health” of the people, after almost two years of pandemic.
“I prefer to eat with culture than to go to the restaurant to inflate. “This closure is unfair,” a French teacher told AFP.
Some theaters and many cinemas, mainly in Brussels, Namur and Liege, have decided to defy the ban and operate today.
Another protest took place earlier in Liege, with hundreds of people in attendance, according to the Belga news agency.
Announcing the new measures on Wednesday, the government said it did not intend to review the situation before early January. But he did not give a specific date.
“Masks, CST (Belgian health passport), ventilation, CO2 detectors, air purification, distances, etc .: the spectacle world followed the protocols imposed,” protested the Belgian Human Rights Association (LDH), which intends to go to court, in cooperation with other associations and federations in the cultural field.
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