Five activists from the environmentalist action group, Extinction Rebellion, were arrested on Monday morning after they entered the gardens of the Royal Palace in Brussels.
At around 9:00 AM on Monday morning, a live stream video showing five Extinction Rebellion activists approaching the palace’s front gates and jumping over its parapet was published on the group’s Facebook page.
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Extinction Rebellion activists approaching the Royal Palace.[/caption]
The five Extinction Rebellion activists, who were attempting to hand-deliver a letter to King Philippe, burst into the Royal Gardens and were held back by the police.
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Extinction Rebellion activists being held back by the police.[/caption]
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The activists were subsequently lined up along the inside of the gates of the Royal Palace and Garden, at which point one of the activists read aloud the group's letter addressed to King Philippe, which began with the words “Your majesty, your kingdom is burning”.
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The activist second from the right reading aloud the letter.[/caption]
After the letter was read, the police lined up the five activists against the outside of the Royal Palace and Garden gates.
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Police lining up the activists outside of the gates of the Royal Palace and Gardens.[/caption]
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Extinction Rebellion activists lined up outside the gates of the Royal Palace and Gardens.[/caption]
The five activists who were arrested were quickly released with an administrative fine, a member of Extinction Rebellion said at around 10:00 AM.
Extinction Rebellion has invited all the inhabitants of Belgium to peacefully occupy the garden of the Royal Palace of Brussels on 12 October.
Evie McCullough
The Brussels Times
