“We are here”: some fifty protesters, mostly French, gathered today in Ostend, Belgium to “welcome” the president Emmanuel Macron, who participates in the “North Sea Summit”.

Carrying banners of the far-left French party NPA (New Anti-Capitalist Party) and “Attack”, a civic collective from Lille, the demonstrators gathered at around 4pm, shortly before Macron’s expected arrival, on a bridge leading to the city’s port .

“We are here, we are here, even if Macron doesn’t want it,” they shouted rhythmically, banging pots and small pans. About 20 police officers had blocked their access to the bridge. “Pension at 60, we will fight to preserve it”, was another slogan heard.

“We wanted to organize a committee not to welcome Macron. Many comrades were arrested on the road, many were searched, their pots were confiscated and they were asked to come only here.” Ann, a 37-year-old activist and spokesperson for “Attack,” told AFP. “We remain here, we will let Macron know that we will not back down, that we do not want his reform and his politics,” added the activist, who arrived in Ostend from Lille, which is only 90 kilometers away.

The Ostend summit, attended by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte among others, aims to seal the leaders’ shared ambition to increase wind power production in the North Sea to accelerate the decarbonisation of the European continent. .

It is recalled that a few days ago the French president Emmanuel Macron visited a factory in a village in Alsace, where protesters were waiting for him banging pans and pots.