New picnic protest against Brussels mobility plan

The Picnic The Streets movement is calling for another event to take place on 7 June in protest at the City of Brussels’ plans to add car parks within the pentagon area, reports brusselnieuws.be.

Picnic the Streets launched three years ago to protest the lack of pedestrian areas in the capital. Last summer's picnic, which saw Avenue Anspach closed to through traffic, attracted more than 2,000 people.

The picnics have spurred the creation of a larger pedestrian zone and a new circulation plan. That plan includes the addition of four new underground car parks in Brussels city centre.

Picnic The Streets plans its next mass picnic for 7 June, again in front of Brussels’ Bourse on Avenue Anspach. "The pentagon plan appears to be a poisoned gift," say the organisers.

The pedestrianised zone is a positive evolution for the city, say protesters, but the global plan is not. "The construction of four additional car parks will only bring more cars to the city centre. The traffic, including buses, will circulate in a mini ring around already crowded residential areas. That’s why we, as residents and picnickers, are saying ‘thanks but no thanks’ to this project."