Auto-SummaryYesterday's events in Brussels highlight the dangerous impact of far-right extremism on cultural diversity and unity. A planned peace march, intended to honor terror attack victims, was disrupted by a group of around 400 right-wing protesters, who were met with resistance from Belgian riot police. The protesters targeted Muslim women, singling them out for aggressive behavior, including Nazi salutes and flares. This incident underscores the far-right's hate-driven agenda, often cloaked in prejudice against specific racial or religious groups rather than genuine misogyny. The Belgian security services' struggle to maintain order, compounded by their focus on anti-terrorism efforts, further illustrates the fragility of societal cohesion. This event serves as a stark reminder that hate and violence have no place, and that unity in diversity is essential for a safe, inclusive society.
The events of yesterday suggest that your hope that "cultural diversity is a failure" is wrong.
People of all nationalities, religions, ethnicities etc were trying to have a peace march but it had to be cancelled because the Belgian security services are already struggling as it is. So they just informally got together in a smaller group on the steps in the Brussels square. If you look at the pictures then they had many nations flags standing together with men, women and children. There were children putting flowers, there were muslim people. It was a show of unity and strength....but then the skinheads came along and changed that.
The security services then were more strained by having to deal with these skinheads while they need to focus on anti-terror operations. Belgium is already a weak, fractured and near incompetent state and the far right make it harder.
It is the far right that are exacerbating things, not Europe's muslim population.!!!
While there are legitimate concerns, this mobilisation of hate is revolting. Anger is understandable, prejudice, hate and violence has no place.
It's very telling that some on the far right will get very angry about "middle eastern misogynists" attacking Western women but really their objection is about race, not misogyny. Those far right thugs in Brussels were attacking especially women who were wearing hijab.
Belgian riot police deploy water cannon against 'fascists' in Brussels square
Quote: Belgian riot police have deployed water cannon to the Place de la Bourse in Brussels in a bid to disperse a right-wing march that has disrupted a peaceful rally.
Hundreds of people had assembled informally in the large public square to remember the 31 victims of last Tuesday's terror attacks when dozens of men, some wearing masks and balaclavas, barged to the centre.
It comes after a planned peace march through the city was cancelled at the request of Brussels police, who said they were too thinly-stretched to provide enough security for a large-scale demonstration.
The group of black-clad men had mounted the steps of the stock exchange building in the square and started chanting slogans against the Isis jihadist group.
Some members of the group were seen making Nazi salutes, confronting ethnic minority groups and throwing flares.
Riot squads joined police in the square a short while later and, after they ignored requests to disperse in line with the earlier advice from officials, water cannons were deployed. People gathered at the vigil cheered as the protesters were driven away.
Adrian Liston, who was present at the vigil, told the BBC that the memorial had been disrupted by a “bunch of skinheads” who had turned up “in force”.
“They marched into the square and started a major confrontation with the peace protesters,” he added.
“At this point they were really starting to get in the face of the peace protesters, the face of the police, setting off flares, setting off fireworks, and chanting stuff that was really quite ugly.”
Far-right protesters in Brussels confronted and intimidated Muslim women on peace march
Quote: Muslim women were confronted and intimidated by right-wing protesters disrupted a peace vigil dedicated to victims of the Brussels attacks.
The women were singled out by members of a group of 400 demonstrators at an initially peaceful gathering held to remember the victims of last week's terror attacks in the Belgian capital.
As members of the public laid floral tributes to the victims of Tuesday's attacks at a makeshift memorial, police clashed with the group, which was seen making Nazi salutes and confronting ethnic minority groups including women, according to the BBC.
Adrian Liston, who was present at the vigil, told the BBC that the memorial had been disrupted by a "bunch of skinheads" who had turned up "in force".
"They marched into the square and started a major confrontation with the peace protesters," he added.
On Monday, the death toll rose to 35, not including the three suicide bombers, officials confirmed.
The additional deaths include two more American citizens, bringing the total number of US citizens killed in the attack to four.
Belgium's crisis centre website said there were 35 victims, but said only 28 of the victims had been formally identified.
The foreigners killed were British, Chinese, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Swedish and US nationals.
The formal "march against fear" through the city was cancelled by Belgian police, as they felt they could not ensure the safety of the crowds and wanted to focus on tracking down people involved in the attacks.
But significant police resources were eventually drawn to the Place de la Bourse, where a peaceful crowd containing Muslims and non-Muslims was confronted by around 400 fascists.
They were seen picking out Muslim women from the crowd at the vigil and singling them out for aggressive, confrontational abuse.
The group carried a banner identifying themselves as "Casuals Against Terrorism".
Many of the men wore balaclavas or 'Anonymous' masks, and they chanted nationalist, anti-immigrant and anti-Isis slogans.
They also made Nazi salutes and waved flares in the air, before being dispersed by riot police using truck-mounted water cannons.
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War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength
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