80,000 march in Brussels to honour Joe

23 April 2006

BRUSSELS — Police have confirmed that 80,000 people marched through the streets of Brussels on Sunday to honour murdered teenager Joe Van Holsbeeck.

The silent march started at 3pm, but due to the size of crowd, the last of the participants did not start the march on the Pachecolaan until 3.40pm.

*sidebar1*Soon after the anti-violence protest started, the first of the participants arrived at Brussels Central station, where Van Holsbeeck was stabbed to death on 12 April for his mp3 player.

Guitarists and trumpeters played the song ‘Les Copains d’Abord’ by George Brassens, one of Jan Holesbeeck’s favourite songs. It was also played at his funeral on Thursday.

Van Holsbeeck’s parents laid a wreath at Central Station and observed a moment’s silent at a photo of their 17-year-old son.

Scouts who participated in the march gathered flowers from other protestors and laid them by the photo. The main entrance of the station was closed to avoid crowding inside the station itself.

At about 4.15pm, the march arrived at the Koningsplein, the scheduled end point. But because the march was scheduled to end at 5pm, the organisers decided to march on further towards the Poelaertplein.

Throughout the march, Van Holsbeeck’s parents were greeted with rounds of applause.

The family had earlier requested politicians to not turn the event into a campaigning tool and urged that no banners or signposts be taken along in the march.

Sunday’s march is reminiscent of the White March held a decade ago to commemorate the victims of paedophile and child killer Marc Dutroux.

Subject: Belgian news