Climate activists urge locals to boycott popular car show

A coalition of climate activists have called for a boycott of the Salon de l’Auto, the car and motorcycle show that will open at Brussels Expo in a few weeks.

Organised by the automotive federation Febiac, the car show draws half a million visitors every year and is the high point of the year for car and motorcycle enthusiasts. 

A coalition of climate activists from groups like Extinction Rebellion Brussels, the environmental organisation Bral and the cyclists' union Fietsersbond have now called on the public to boycott the popular car show. 

The #BoycottAutoSalon campaign is also calling for a ban on all car advertisements. “We are seeing that car advertisements are focused on promoting powerful, fast and heavy cars,” the organisers said in a press release. “We know the truth behind these advertisements, which is that the climate is changing, and that air pollution results in 9,000 premature deaths every year.” 

Florence Cuignet from the Gracq cycling association told Bruzz that the organisations behind the boycott campaign would also organise several protest actions during the Salon de l’Auto. “We’ll mostly campaign online, but other organisations might stage physical protests.” 

Photo courtesy boycottautosalon.wordpress.com

Written by Linda A. Thompson