Belgium: Activist group to protest in Brussels Jan. 19

Event

Activists affiliated with the Stop Erdogan Now group plan to protest outside the European Parliament in Place du Luxembourg, Brussels, from 1400 Jan. 19. The group will denounce Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and call on the EU to impose sanctions on the president and his nation. Attendance will likely not exceed the low hundreds.

Authorities will likely deploy additional police to the protest area. Increased security measures, including movement restrictions, could prompt localized transport disruptions. Current coronavirus disease (COVID-19) measures in Brussels severely restrict public gatherings and it is unclear whether organizers have received permission for the protest to go ahead. Nonetheless, police will likely allow the protest to continue as long as participants observe COVID-19 restrictions.

Advice

Avoid the protest as a routine security precaution. Allow extra time to complete journeys in central Brussels the afternoon of Jan. 19.