Thousands took part in the protests during the Brussels visit of US president Bush. Thanks to an impressive press coverage of the visit, the protests grew bigger than expected. On Monday 21 february between 4,000 and 5,000 held a protest outside the US embassy in Brussels. This was organised by a coalition of some 90 organisations, including political parties represented in the government.

During the Bush visit LSP/MAS (the Belgian section of the CWI) organised an anti-capitalist demo in Brussels. While we off course understand the hatred towards a public figure like George W. Bush, we do think the protests should take up a clear program including the need of a political alternative. Bush is hated for being a symbol of the Iraq war and the ideas of the neo-cons. The Iraq war and the war against the workers and youth in the US, are consequences of the capitalist system.

While most organisations involved in the anti-Bush protests limited their slogans to ‘Bush not welcome’ or ‘Piss on Bush’ (slogan used by the youth wing of the social democracy who participate in the Belgian government which welcomed Bush…), we brought in a political program. Our posters demanded “Troops out of Iraq, stop the occupation. Right of self-determination of the Iraqi people. Nationalisation of the oil-industry under control of the workers.”

We organised an anti-capitalist youth demo starting at both the ULB and VUB universities in Brussels (the Frenchspeaking and Dutchspeaking universities). These two groups came together to demonstrate through Brussels. We passed by three schools where we have comrades who mobilised in their schools and got a number of school students to join the demo. In total over 800 participated and shouted our slogans. This red block finally joined the rally at the US embassy where a few thousands were present. On Tuesday 22 february there also were local actions in different cities in which our party also participated.

At the demonstrations we pointed out the need a socialist alternative to capitalism and the need to fight the present system in Belgium as well. We therefore also campaigned for the Youth March for Jobs, which we co-organise with the unions on 19 March in Brussels. This Youth March will be joined by a demo of the European TUC and could be huge.

> Pictures of the anti-capitalist youth demo:
Picture report 1 | Picutre report 2 | Picture report 3