Nationalist NSV and Antifascist protests in Antwerp documented, April 2024 (photo report)
Flemish ultranationalist student group NSV marches into the streets in a rally, while their ideological opponents organize an antifascist counter-protest, all on April 25.
By Kosmos Khoroshavin and Vicente Torre / WafflePost
The University District’s Stadswaag in Antwerp got loud with nationalists parading through the streets, organized by the NSV student association. They manifested under police convoy with countless Flemish flags and various other symbols, including imperial Dutch standards. The demonstration slogan was “Flemish state, youth stands ready”(Original: Vlaamse staat, jeugd staat paraat).
It attracted the attention of many locals, observing the site from open doors and windows reacting differently to the rally site.
The group has named various reasons for the protest, seemingly trying to create a sense of urgency and support the Flemish independence as they claim “Belgium is on the brink” mentioning Antwerp and Brussels drug violence, “Wallonian PS[Socialist party-Ed.] robbing us[The Flemish — Ed.]” and the repopulation theory as the reasons for gathering in their social media posts.
The event received support from prominent figures in the radical Flemish nationalist movement, such as Vlaams Belang Party Chairman Tom Van Grieken and Dries Van Langenhove, founder of the ultranationalist Schild & Friends movement. The latter was sentenced to imprisonment for violations of racism and discrimination legislation, as well as suspended imprisonment for illegal possession of weapons.
The NSV didn’t just have students from Antwerp at the event but also gathered associates from Leuven, Mechelen, Brussels, Ghent and East Flanders. The fraternity collaborated with its traditional allies — Voorpost and Geuzenbond, radical Dutch irredentist groups aiming to unite the Netherlands and Flanders. Another group present was a “delegation” of Breton nationalists An Tour-Tan.
Even then, according to the Flemish public broadcaster VRT around 250 people attended the manifestation, which is less than the supposed 300 left-wing activists in Zurenborg neighbourhood, who held their own anti-protest there.
During the protest, nationalists were chanting, with several people using loudspeakers. Their messages included shouts about “remigration” and “repopulation”, as well as calls for independent Flanders, which is “Flemish, social and national”.
Most of the attendants were young people, except for the Voorpost ordedienst security unit, composed of mostly older men in their 40s or 50s, some dressed in military-style clothing helping the police to organize the crowd. They remained silent but visibly dissatisfied with the journalistic coverage by our group.
In a short incident, an older man from the crowd verbally harassed our photographers.
The counterprotest
To combat the nationalist rally, dozens of smaller left organizations have cooperated to oppose them in a street demonstration at Dageraadplaats in the Zurenborg neighborhood. Not to provoke each other, two groups stood roughly 40 minutes walk apart, moving in opposite directions.
The demonstration included a range of groups and symbols with members of different left movements and outsiders joining in, united by the motto “Solidarity. No hate”.
You could spot a bizarre alliance of feminists, transgender people and gay rights activists, immigrant rights groups and Palestinian supporters, workers’ organizations and trade unions, alongside PVDA and Comac Marxist party members, antifascists and anarchists. The red color dominated the aesthetics.
The rhetoric of the demonstration mostly focused on the protest against NSV and Flemish nationalists. Protesters disagree with their vision of the country, actions and talking points, with each group having its own agenda besides that.
It is not the first time, that antagonists have held protests opposing each other. Both movements had been gathering with similar goals almost annually. As for today, it may have turned into a local political tradition.
More photos
Photographers:
Kosmos Khoroshavin, Vicente Torre
Writer and editor:
Kosmos Khoroshavin
