The meeting is likely to cause mayhem. More than 400 people have already registered to hear the debate and others are still expected, since it is possible to come the same day without registration. But it is above all the arrival of people who have a conflicting relationship with the two speakers that worries the town. The organization expects protest movements to emerge around the meeting place.
The SETCa of Mons, which had planned a lively reception committee at an evening of Georges-Louis Bouchez, announced that it would put the cover back. Will he bring out the eggs, as in November 2022? “We want to peacefully but resolutely challenge their neo-liberal and anti-social policies”the union said in a statement. “Indeed, we do not see what is the added value for our region of such a meeting which is certainly not a debate since they defend the same values of rejection, exclusion, contempt for the unemployed, long-term patients, immigrants, but also Walloons.”
Left groups openly hostile to the vision defended by Theo Francken might also be tempted to join the event, according to the municipality of Jurbise.
This is why the organizers have planned to reinforce security around the Jacques Galant room. “We are strengthening the police force”, confirms the office of the mayor. “About fifteen police officers will supervise the event. And we call on a security service to supervise Georges-Louis Bouchez and Theo Francken.”
It was as president of the Mons-Borinage MR Federation that Jacqueline Galant set up this meeting. As mayor, she made contact with the police services, which deemed it useful to reinforce security for the occasion.
Regarding the intervention of the SETCa, the mayor is irritated because “they didn’t ask for any permission”. The police services had to contact the unions to confirm their arrival. “I do not understand how one can dispute the arrival of someone democratically elected. We give a detestable image of Wallonia when we don’t let someone like Theo Francken speak.”
To avoid drifts, the organizers wanted to proceed by registration. “It allows us to check the identities of visitors and verify that they are coming for the event and not to create confusion.”
It should be noted, however, that visitors are not obliged to register and therefore to be checked.
Tonight’s debate will address topics such as the future of Belgium, relations between Wallonia and Flanders, asylum policy and socio-economic challenges and structural reforms.
