Extinction Rebellion plans 'civil disobedience' at Brussels Car Show

Environmental activism group Extinction Rebellion will this week announce details of a planned day of "mass civil disobedience" at the Brussels Car Show.

The organisation will invite participants to join a protest at Brussels Expo on 18 January under the banner "Salon of Lies".

Extinction Rebellion said the action sets out to "correct the deceitful image the car industry portrays of itself" and "denounce the many lies which car manufacturers keep selling to the public to increase their sales at the cost of the environment, people’s health and social justice".

Campaigners have taken issue with the theme of this year's show - "soft/green mobility" - which they say is being used as a marketing gimmick to "fool customers and preserve a business model which will remain a key driver of the climate and ecological crisis".

Extinction Rebellion - which has carried out several actions in Brussels in the past year - had already joined forces with other climate organisations in December to call for a boycott of the Salon de l'Automobile.

More details about the planned action should become known on Monday. 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.