Belgium: Racism and fascism (2)
01 January 1991
Belgium: Racism and fascism
artdoc April=1995
Far-Right gains in Euro elections
The fascist Vlaams Blok increased its share of the vote from 6.6%
in 1989 to 12.6%, gaining two seats in parliament. The Front
National in Wallonia, gained 7.9% of the vote, compared to zero
per cent in 1989. The FN will have 1 seat at Strasbourg (Times
14.6.94).
Christian Democrats concede on national question
The main Flemish parties are taking on the programme of the far-
Right by demanding that Belgium be split into a loose
confederation of two independent states - Dutch-speaking Flanders
and French-speaking Wallonia. Now, other parties have warned that
Belgium could be heading for renewed linguistic and regional
confrontation.
Luc van den Brande, the Christian Democrat president of the
Flemish region, has called for the creation of a confederation
linking Flanders, Wallonia, the bilingual region of Brussels, and
the small German-speaking community in the east of Belgium. The
Flemish Freedom party and other Flemish Christian Democrats have
backed the call.
Another demand of the Christian Democrat president is for a
complete amnesty for all surviving Flemish war-time collaborators
- a key element in the programme of the neo-fascist Flemish
Blok(Guardian 14.7.94).
Belgium-Morocco World Cup fixture leads to attacks
On the day of the Belgium-Morocco World Cup fixture, a 16-year-
old Moroccan youth was shot in Verviers by members of the far-
Right Agir group. Like other Belgian and Moroccan youth,
Mohammed had been watching the match at a pavement cafe. When
whites, including members of Agir, came past shouting racist
abuse, most of the Moroccan youth tried to disperse. However,
their route home led them past the newly-opened Agir
headquarters. There, two men armed with rifles, and one with a
revolver, came out onto the streets and shot Mohammed with a
rubber bullet through the right arm, also puncturing a lung.
Another bullet entered his right knee (Solidaire 29.6.94). The
shooting was followed by fighting between Moroccans and Belgians
in Verviers. Brussels and a few northern towns, including
Antwerp, also witnessed disturbances (European 24.6.94). In
Brussels, disturbances followed the savage beating of another
Moroccan youth. Football supporters had gathered in Brussels
Grand Square, as is the tradition. The atmosphere was friendly
until a group of fascists threw beer cans at the Moroccans
calling out, `This is our home' and `White power'. A group of
about 100 Belgians then proceeded to chase the Moroccans across
the centre of Brussels. According to Solidaire, the police did
nothing to protect the Moroccan youth - a fact appreciated by the
fascists who called out `The cops are with us'. Thirty six people
were arrested of which 31 were young Moroccans and four anti-
racists (Solidaire 29.6.94).
Refugee centre set on fire
A disused factory in the process of being turned into a refugee
centre at Haine, St. Pierre, was set alight. Local people had
protested about the building of a refugee centre, but the extreme
right are suspected of having carried out the attack (Solidaire
1.6.94).
IRR European Race Audit, Bulletin no 10, September 1994. Contact:
Liz Fekete, Institute of Race Relations, 2-6 Leeke Street, London
WC1X 9HS. Tel: 0171 837 0041