– I have been a resident of Europe for 24 years and for the first time, I have seen this protest and clashes of around 120,000 union leaders, professionals, students, factory and shop workers coming from all over Belgium converging in the center of Brussels, the very heart of Europe. It was only the first in a series of demonstrations and strikes planned over coming weeks. The plan is to stage a series of regional strikes every Monday starting 24 November, culminating in a national strike on 15 December.
Europe online
– The action group Pozzallo Pirates placed eighteen coffins on the Ostend beach yesterday morning. The group wants to raise awareness for the many refugees who lost their lives in the Italian island of Lampedusa and other islands in the Mediterranean. The boat people mostly coming from North Africa were trying to enter Europe illegally. In October 2013, 366 refugees were drowned and died.
– Meanwhile, Jan De Winter, lawyer of the priest who was convicted of sexual assault of a minor announced that his client was restored and can continue his function as a pastor of three churches in Middelkerke. Many criticisms arose and finds the decision inappropriate. He said: “With all due respect to the victims, but everyone deserves a second chance.”
