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Blockade stops fascist march in Leuven
www.socialistworld.net, 28/02/2003
website of the committee for a workers' international, CWI
Yesterday evening over 1,000 young people demonstrated through the streets of Leuven in protest against a demo of the NSV (Nationalist students, closely linked to the neo-fascist Vlaams Blok). The blockade was led by members of LSP/MAS (Belgian CWI section) and its student organisation, Active Left Students.
Geert Cool, Belgium
During our demo through the city we got a very good response from students who passed by, many of them joined the demo.
The demo of the NSV itself was slightly different. Everywhere they went, students who saw them passing, started to throw water and other objects at them.
The anti-fascist demo blocked the path of the NSV. We were able to stop the fascists as they only had 200 present while the number of demonstrators against them was much bigger and was still increasing. At a certain point, we blocked them for over an hour. They were completely surrounded by police who were themselves were completely surrounded by anti-fascists.
The police used a water cannon against the anti-fascists, which was done to allow the police to escort the fascists back to their buses to be brought away from Leuven
We shouted slogans against the NSV and the Vlaams Blok, but also against capitalism. The Vlaams Blok can grow as a cancer on the rotten capitalist system - we need to build a real alternative to that rotten system.
The anti-fascist demo was a huge success. It showed the strength of the anti-fascist movement, as part of a broader anti-capitalist movement of people who have also taken part in the demonstrations against the war on Iraq. The success of the demo shows the radicalisation amongst young people that is taking place.
Committee for a Workers' International