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3,000 gather in Brussels to show solidarity with refugees

02:27 29/02/2016

More than 3,000 people marched in the neighbourhood of Brussels North on Saturday afternoon in a demonstration to show solidarity with refugees. The protesters demand that the EU Member States stop closing their borders and instead focus their energy on providing decent shelter for refugees, writes Brusselnieuws.

The citizens' initiative #SafePassage, which has the support of more than 20 organisations, calls for protection for refugees on their travel through Europe. Similar solidarity marches were held in about 100 other European cities at the weekend.

"Nowhere is it written in the Geneva Conventions that one can close borders to refugees – quite the contrary," said protester Beatrice Dispaux, according to Belga news agency. "These people need help and shelter and we can give them that. The situation is critical, the politicians must act urgently."

Many of the demonstrators were wearing life jackets or survival blankets in reference to the images of refugees who are forced by dire circumstances to arrive on European shores by boat.  

Written by Robyn Boyle