Far-left activists threaten violence, block Defence Commissioner visit
European Union Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius's visit to Belgian arms manufacturers was cancelled Friday after far-left pro-Palestinian activists blockaded the Thales facility in Herstal.
According to Brussels Signal, approximately fifteen activists physically blocked access to the Thales defence facility in Herstal, forcing the cancellation of both the Thales visit and a planned stop at the Fabrique Nationale (FN) arms production plant nearby. It marks the first time a visit by Commissioner Kubilius has been scrapped over security concerns.
The European Commission stated that Belgian local authorities were unable to guarantee the Commissioner’s safety during the visit. Far-left organizations and pro-Palestinian activists have been questioning whether Wallonia’s ban on military equipment transit to Israel is being properly enforced.
Socialist Herstal mayor Frédéric Daerden characterized the last-minute cancellation as prudent given the threat to public order. His office indicated that only eight federal police officers were available as reinforcements, which would have been insufficient considering the nature of the activist group.
Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken of the N-VA party expressed outrage at the incident. Writing on X, he stated he was scandalised and ashamed that the important visit to Thales could not proceed, demanding a thorough investigation and stating he had contacted Interior Minister Bernard Quintin about the matter. Francken added that the far-left terror must stop.
Andrien Dolimont, a Liberal member of the Walloon regional parliament, lamented that Belgium was prevented from showcasing the jewels of its industrial capacity and expertise. He noted that another European Commissioner, Raffaele Fitto, had faced similar disruption weeks earlier when approximately 200 Antifa activists, university staff, and left-wing politicians forced him to leave a university campus. Protesters had targeted Fitto over his affiliation with Fratelli d’Italia, Italy’s governing right-wing party.
Dolimont warned that such incidents create a deplorable image of Belgium, particularly at a time when the geopolitical situation demands strengthening European sovereignty. He criticized democratic and less democratic left-wing parties for refusing to condemn these actions and in some cases tacitly endorsing them.
The blockade highlights growing tensions in Belgium between national security interests and far-left activist movements targeting defence industry facilities over their alleged connections to Israeli military operations.
With information from Brussels Signal
