BELGIUM, Brussels. 13/01/2018: Protesters carry mockups of repatriation planes during a demonstration of about 5000 people denouncing the Belgian policy on migration and requesting Theo Francken to resign from his position as secretary of state for migration and asylum in the government . #MAPS #plateformecitoyenne #migrants #migrantswelcome #inmyname More here: https://johnvink.photoshelter.com/index/G0000NuzRzQw4Q1o/I0000ZnssRBVVGvE

BELGIUM, Brussels. 21/01/2018: Migrants and refugees gather at the Gare du Nord, waiting for a food distribution. After the Interior Ministry announced a crackdown on migrants gathering every night at the Parc Maximilien, the 'Plateforme Citoyenne d'Aide aux Réfugiés' mobilised more than 3000 people to protest the governmental policy regarding migrants by forming a human chain between the Gare du Nord and the Parc Maximilien, a meeting point for migrants on their way to the UK where ordinary Belgian citizens come to host them. When the “Calais Jungle” was dismantled a little more than one year ago, many migrants headed for Brussels to seek an alternative opportunity of crossing the Channel or seek refugee status in Belgium. They hang around the North Station, mingling with refugees or refugee candidates to exchange information. Refugees wait for their status to be legalised, migrants wait before trying to board a truck heading for Great Britain, paying as much as 800€ to traffickers. As the Belgian authorities are reluctant to set up a proper infrastructure to host them, several networks of Belgian volunteers spontaneously took shape, among them “Plateforme Citoyenne de Soutien aux Réfugiés”, “Belgium Kitchen”, “United Stages” or informal groups of people, sometimes coming all the way from Liège or Mons. Through Facebook and a database of nearly 25000 addresses of Belgian citizens they provide the migrants and the refugees with food, clothing and information, and, in response to police raids rounding some of them up to send them back or elsewhere, organise and coordinate transportation to bring them to families or theatres hosting them for a few nights. Each night some 300 migrants and refugees are legally hosted. If it is indeed illegal for Belgian citizens to host people who are entered illegally in the country, it is also perfectly legal to host them for humanitarian reasons. More here: https://johnvink.photoshelter.com/gallery/Belgium-Migrants-and-Volunteers/G0000xEa5.AJbrXk/ #MAPS #plateformecitoyenne #migrants #migrantswelcome #inmyname

BELGIUM, Brussels. 13/01/2018: A man carrying the Belgian flag photographs a demonstration denouncing the Belgian policy on migration and requesting Theo Francken to resign from his position as secretary of state for migration and asylum in the government . #MAPS #plateformecitoyenne #migrants #migrantswelcome #inmyname More here: https://johnvink.photoshelter.com/index/G0000NuzRzQw4Q1o/I0000ZnssRBVVGvE

BELGIUM,Brussels. 21/11/2017: Migrants and refugees at a food distribution in the vicinity of the 'Gare du Nord', organised by ordinary Belgian citizens. Wishing them and you a happy New Year... When the “Calais Jungle” was dismantled a little more than one year ago, many migrants headed for Brussels to seek an alternative opportunity of crossing the Channel or seek refugee status in Belgium. They hang around the North Station, mingling with refugees or refugee candidates to exchange information. Refugees wait for their status to be legalised, migrants wait before trying to board a truck heading for Great Britain, paying as much as 800€ to traffickers. As the Belgian authorities are reluctant to set up a proper infrastructure to host them, several networks of Belgian volunteers spontaneously took shape, among them “Plateforme Citoyenne de Soutien aux Réfugiés”, “Belgium Kitchen”, “United Stages” or informal groups of people, sometimes coming all the way from Liège or Mons. Through Facebook and a database of nearly 25000 addresses of Belgian citizens they provide the migrants and the refugees with food, clothing and information, and, in response to police raids rounding some of them up to send them back or elsewhere, organise and coordinate transportation to bring them to families or theatres hosting them for a few nights. Each night some 300 migrants and refugees are legally hosted. If it is indeed illegal for Belgian citizens to host people who are entered illegally in the country, it is also perfectly legal to host them for humanitarian reasons. More here: https://johnvink.photoshelter.com/gallery/Belgium-Migrants-and-Volunteers/G0000xEa5.AJbrXk/ #MAPS #plateformecitoyenne #migrants #migrantswelcome #inmyname

BELGIUM, Brussels. 2/12/2017: Volunteers take care of refugee children at the children playground from the "Plateforme Citoyenne de Soutien aux Réfugiés". When the “Calais Jungle” was dismantled a little more than one year ago, many migrants headed for Brussels to seek an alternative opportunity of crossing the Channel or seek refugee status in Belgium. They hang around the North Station, mingling with refugees or refugee candidates to exchange information. Refugees wait for their status to be legalised, migrants wait before trying to board a truck heading for Great Britain, paying as much as 800€ to traffickers. As the Belgian authorities are reluctant to set up a proper infrastructure to host them, several networks of Belgian volunteers spontaneously took shape, among them “Plateforme Citoyenne de Soutien aux Réfugiés”, “Belgium Kitchen”, “United Stages” or informal groups of people, sometimes coming all the way from Liège or Mons. Through Facebook and a database of nearly 25000 addresses of Belgian citizens they provide the migrants and the refugees with food, clothing and information, and, in response to police raids rounding some of them up to send them back or elsewhere, organise and coordinate transportation to bring them to families or theatres hosting them for a few nights. Each night some 300 migrants and refugees are legally hosted. If it is indeed illegal for Belgian citizens to host people who are entered illegally in the country, it is also perfectly legal to host them for humanitarian reasons. More here: https://johnvink.photoshelter.com/gallery/Belgium-Migrants-and-Volunteers/G0000xEa5.AJbrXk/ #MAPS #plateformecitoyenne #migrants #migrantswelcome #inmyname

BELGIUM, Brussels. 29/11/2017: The "Gare du Nord" where many migrants and refugees are gathered. When the “Calais Jungle” was dismantled a little more than one year ago, many migrants headed for Brussels to seek an alternative opportunity of crossing the Channel or seek refugee status in Belgium. They hang around the North Station, mingling with refugees or refugee candidates to exchange information. Refugees wait for their status to be legalised, migrants wait before trying to board a truck heading for Great Britain, paying as much as 800€ to traffickers. As the Belgian authorities are reluctant to set up a proper infrastructure to host them, several networks of Belgian volunteers spontaneously took shape, among them “Plateforme Citoyenne de Soutien aux Réfugiés”, “Belgium Kitchen”, “United Stages” or informal groups of people, sometimes coming all the way from Liège or Mons. Through Facebook and a database of nearly 25000 addresses of Belgian citizens they provide the migrants and the refugees with food, clothing and information, and, in response to police raids rounding some of them up to send them back or elsewhere, organise and coordinate transportation to bring them to families or theatres hosting them for a few nights. Each night some 300 migrants and refugees are legally hosted. If it is indeed illegal for Belgian citizens to host people who are entered illegally in the country, it is also perfectly legal to host them for humanitarian reasons. More here: https://johnvink.photoshelter.com/gallery/Belgium-Migrants-and-Volunteers/G0000xEa5.AJbrXk/ #MAPS #plateformecitoyenne #migrants #migrantswelcome #inmyname

BELGIUM, Brussels. 112/12/2017: Belgian citizens prepare for a demonstration about EU immigration policies the following day by writing "In My Name" with candles on the quay of the canal. When the “Calais Jungle” was dismantled a little more than one year ago, many migrants headed for Brussels to seek an alternative opportunity of crossing the Channel or seek refugee status in Belgium. They hang around the North Station, mingling with refugees or refugee candidates to exchange information. Refugees wait for their status to be legalised, migrants wait before trying to board a truck heading for Great Britain, paying as much as 800€ to traffickers. As the Belgian authorities are reluctant to set up a proper infrastructure to host them, several networks of Belgian volunteers spontaneously took shape, among them “Plateforme Citoyenne de Soutien aux Réfugiés”, “Belgium Kitchen”, “United Stages” or informal groups of people, sometimes coming all the way from Liège or Mons. Through Facebook and a database of nearly 2500 addresses of Belgian citizens they provide the migrants and the refugees with food, clothing and information, and, in response to police raids rounding some of them up to send them back or elsewhere, organise and coordinate transportation to bring them to families or theatres hosting them for a few nights. Each night some 300 migrants and refugees are legally hosted. If it is indeed illegal for Belgian citizens to host people who are entered illegally in the country, it is also perfectly legal to host them for humanitarian reasons. More here: https://johnvink.photoshelter.com/gallery/Belgium-Migrants-and-Volunteers/G0000xEa5.AJbrXk/ #MAPS #plateformecitoyenne #migrants #migrantswelcome

I will stop posting photographs about migrants, transmigrants and refugees in Belgium for a while. Not that a decent response from the authorities has been found, or that the flow will stop... I’m just a bit tired of hammering on that nail... BELGIUM, Brussels. 12/12/2017: A homeless sleeps in te open while Belgian citizens prepare nearby for a demonstration about EU immigration policies the following day by writing "In My Name" with candles on the quay of the canal. When the “Calais Jungle” was dismantled a little more than one year ago, many migrants headed for Brussels to seek an alternative opportunity of crossing the Channel. They hang around the North Station in Brussels, mingling with refugees or refugee candidates to exchange information. Refugees wait for their status to be legalised, migrants wait before trying to board a truck heading for Great Britain, paying as much as 800€ to traffickers. As the Belgian authorities are reluctant to set up a proper infrastructure to host them, several networks of Belgian volunteers spontaneously took shape, among them “Plateforme Citoyenne de Soutien aux Réfugiés”, “Belgium Kitchen”, “United Stages” or informal groups of people, sometimes coming all the way from Liège or Mons. Through Facebook and a database of nearly 30000 addresses of Belgian citizens they provide the migrants and the refugees with food, clothing and information, and, in response to police raids rounding some of them up to send them back or elsewhere, organise and coordinate transportation to bring them to families or theatres hosting them for a few nights. Each night some 300 migrants and refugees are legally hosted. If it is indeed illegal for Belgian citizens to host people who are entered illegally in the country, it is also perfectly legal to host them for humanitarian reasons. More here: https://johnvink.photoshelter.com/gallery/Belgium-Migrants-and-Volunteers/G0000xEa5.AJbrXk/ #MAPS #plateformecitoyenne #migrants #migrantswelcome #inmyname