On this coming Thursday night 1/12, there will be two mass demonstrations holding in Leuven. One is organized by an extreme right-wing and neo-fascist party NSV, which is a Nationalistic Student Union for promoting the independent Flemish movement in order to separate from the French region of Belgium. They belong to the Belgian political party as “Vlamms Blok”, which is a typical right-wing party condemned as racist by Belgium’s Highest Court. Pure and ethnocentrism of Flemish is their belief.
On the other side, another is an anti-NSV campaign organized by left-wing and socialist group LSA/MAS, which is a Belgian section of CWI. They are a typical Belgian Labour party who follow the belief of Marxism.
According to a rumour spreading over Leuven in these few days, Skin-heads will also join NSV demonstration at this time. They will come from different region of whole Belgium and gather at the center of Leuven. Normally, Skin-heads and Racist are very dangerous to foreign people. They are always labeled by those media and news communication as a violent group w by those media and news communication as a violent group who murder foreign people brutally. Now Leuven Police has been ready for action to prevent any conflict and violent accident happening suddenly between these two groups. But no one knows and no one can guarantee the security precaution on this night whether it is enough or not. Indeed some local people are quite aggressive towards foreign people based on their patriotism and xenophobia. Perhaps some excitement, highly-pressure, dangerous atmosphere and alcohol may also cause any unexpected accident you never know and expect before.
In consideration of this uncertainty, we must be careful and aware of any risks of this demonstration on 1/12 for personal security reason. Some local Belgian suggests us:
1. It is better for us to stay at home in evening and not to walk around in Leuven during this event.
2. Both of their demonstration will hold around 6pm or 7pm at Hooverplein and will be marching to some main streets. Don’t go near this place and surrounding areas during this period.
3. Don’t be naïve and go near them unless y Wen...电脑好了!Computer working again! の発言: go near them unless you are interested at the event. Otherwise, you might get troubles in them.
Please pass the news to your friends and foreign students. Remind them to be careful of any conflict on this night.
Attached with some useful websites about NSV and BBC reports on Racist violent cases, please take time to read.
A very scare-mongering mail indeed. Who on earth has sent that around - unbelievably irresponsible!
The statement "They are always labeled by those media and news communication as a violent group who murder foreign people brutally" is completely untrue. As far as I know, there have never been any racist murders during demonstrations in Belgium. The BBC link then goes to violence in.... Russia. Belgium is not Russia!
Anyway, it would be better indeed to stay away from "the action", but that counts for Belgians and non-Belgians alike.
My excuses for not writing in Japanese, but my computer does not allow to write in kana/kanji. But I just had to react to this utter nonsense.
Cheers,
P
Hase/tomo-san:
My reaction was not necessarily to you, but to the message in general. It was more than "exaggerated", it was just untrue. Those right-wing skinheads are nasty people indeed, but their "demonstrations" rarely get out of hand.
Anyway, it is good to see you survived the day! (warai) Enjoy your stay in Leuven: it is a fantastic city/university.
Cheers,
Pi