Migrants organise 'thank-you' march in Saint-Josse

About 100 undocumented migrants took to the streets on Thursday - to say thank you for the welcome they had received.

The march through the streets of Saint-Josse marked three years since the commune opened up a disused municipal building for them to sleep.

The building, on Place Quetelet, houses 150 migrants. The march set off from there and finished outside Saint-Josse town hall.

"We are here today to express our gratitude to the inhabitants of Saint-Josse as well as to the municipal authorities," said Mamadou Diallo, spokeswoman for the Coordination des Sans-papiers de Belgique.

"It has been three years to the day that the commune has allowed us to occupy this building, otherwise we would all be forced to sleep in the street or in railway stations."

Saint-Josse mayor Emir Kir used the occasion to appeal to migration minister Theo Francken for a long-term solution.

"It's not normal for citizens and municipalities to take care of these people - it is up to the federal government to do so. As long as Belgium's policy towards them doesn't improve, I will let them stay in this building without any problem."

Photo: Nicolas Materlinck/Belga