Annual demo at Vottem [Liege] against closed detention centres 03/04/11: several hundred demonstrators marched from place Léonard to the centre. Arrived at the centre, 50 of the demonstrators climbed on the fences and entered the centre. Very quickly the Samba, who had entered with them, gave their drums from inside. After a few minutes, the two 5m high doors opened and the demonstrators found themselves in the "recreation" yard of the detainees.
A helicopter arrived and hovered 15m above the intruders.
Outside, the planned concert continued unperturbed, despite the Samba, the cries of encouragement of the demonstrators, the noise of the helicopter, the firecrackers...
The police arrived after an hour and arrested all the intruders (49 people). At this moment, the detainees threw projectiles at the robocops.
In the evening, after a long time, demonstrators have been all progressively freed. One girl has been taken to the hospital. An undocumented person who participated in the action has been transferred to the closed center... of Vottem !
In the evening, we received an sms from a prisonner in Vottem : "Thanks a lot for the demo in Vottem, thanks again ! ", he told us that they tried to protest from the inside but that the police forced them to stop.
5/4/2011
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