Belgium: Protests ahead of July 11-12 NATO Summit in Brussels

Event

The NATO Summit will take place in Brussels on Wednesday, July 11, and Thursday, July 12. Civic groups Act for Peace and Stop NATO 2018 have planned a series of demonstrations to protest the summit and US President Trump's expected visit.

Stop NATO 2018 has organized a protest march starting at 15:00 (local time) on Saturday, July 7. Demonstrators plan to gather at the Brussels-North railway station and march south along Boulevard Roi Albert II before traveling on Boulevard Baudouin, Boulevard du Neuvième de Ligne, Rue Antoine Dansaert, Boulevard Anspach, and ending at Brussels-North. An anti-NATO "counter-summit" will also take place on Sunday, July 8, from 10:00 to 18:30 at the Institut Libre Marie Haps. In a separate protest from 19:00 on July 11, Act for Peace activists plan to form a human chain around Brussel's Cinquantenaire Park, in which a NATO gala is planned. During the summit, activists plan to disrupt and protest European institutions, foreign embassies, arms companies, and hotels with ties to the NATO summit.

Expect heightened security measures throughout the city, particularly around the NATO headquarters, before and during the summit. Major transportation disruptions are also likely.

Context

The NATO Summit is a gathering of all members of the alliance to examine current missions and discuss future plans. Protests have taken place at past summits to take advantage of the international spotlight.

Advice

Individuals present in Brussels are advised to monitor the situation, anticipate transportation disruptions, obey all instructions issued by the local authorities, and avoid all protests as a precaution due to the potential for violence.