Today around 3 pm a building on Wetstraat was squatted by the collective ‘Stop the Reception Crisis’. The building was opened by activists dressed as Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration Nicole De Moor (CD&V) and Prime Minister Alexander De Croo (Open Vld) and is located right next to the party headquarters of the CD&V.
In this way, the activists want to “remind the Secretary of State that structural solutions to the reception crisis are still needed”. With the action ‘Tok Tok De Moor’, “asylum seekers and citizens of solidarity knock directly at De Moor’s door to remind her that the basic rights of asylum seekers are still being violated in Belgium. There are still about 3,000 asylum seekers sleeping on the streets, even though they are entitled to shelter.”
The building has been discreetly occupied by the collective for three days. This afternoon the occupation was revealed. Masks of Prime Minister De Croo and State Secretary De Moor were worn during the unveiling. “They are there to remind us that it is the government that should open new shelters, not the citizens,” the collective said. The collective ‘Stop De Opvangcrisis’ also occupied the future national crisis center a month ago.
The police were soon present with five combis, but did not intervene. The occupation of the building was already a fact, so the agents could no longer intervene. According to the collective’s spokesperson, pressure was also exerted from a political angle not to intervene. Two agents then entered the building to assess the condition of the building.
As long as Secretary of State De Moor does not fulfill her obligations, we will do it for her
“We are a support group for asylum seekers who do not have a reception place and we have decided to open a building next to the CD&V party headquarters this time. As long as Secretary of State De Moor does not fulfill her obligations, we will do it for her,” said Tjara, spokeswoman for the collective. “There is no asylum crisis, there is just a crisis of political will that is missing. Prime Minister De Croo also has a great responsibility to solve the crisis.”
There are 70 asylum seekers in the building, including twenty people from the organization. The collective ‘Stop De Opvangcrisis’ also calls on other organizations to squat buildings themselves and open them up to asylum seekers. “A lot of places and buildings are still needed. Many citizens do show solidarity and find it unfair that so many people sleep on the street. We trust that many more squats will be opened in Brussels, Wallonia and Flanders.”
READ ALSO. Glowing quarrel between Theo Francken and State Secretary de Moor about the asylum center in Grimbergen: “What do you propose, leave them on the street?”(+)
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