Covid-19: Belgium forced to cancel the closure of cultural places
LThe Belgian government announced Wednesday that it was canceling its decision to close theaters, cinemas and performance halls taken to stem the spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, after being disowned the day before by the courts. The Council of State, the highest administrative court in the country, on Tuesday suspended the closure of “closed places in the cultural sector”, following an appeal for interim measures by a theater producer. The measure, announced on December 22 by Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, had provoked a rebellion in artistic circles. The latter released a press release on Wednesday evening announcing the withdrawal of the controversial measure and a return to previous conditions, on his Twitter account. The Consultative Committee, which continues federal and regional leaders, “today took note (…) of the recent judgment of the Council of State”.
“The Committee decided on health after the conditions for the cultural sector that it had defined during the meeting of December 3: only seats, wearing of the compulsory mask, use of the CST (Covid Safe Ticket, pass) from 50 spectators, maximum 200 spectators ”, it is indicated. “These conditions also apply in cinemas and the event sector” and “will take effect tomorrow”, Thursday, specifies the text.
5,000 demonstrators in Brussels on Sunday
The Council of State had been seized in summary by the producer of a show scheduled from Tuesday to Thursday in Auderghem, one of the municipalities of Brussels. The authorities have not demonstrated “how the relevant performance halls of the cultural sector places particularly dangerous for the health and life of people as they favor the spread of the coronavirus, to the point that it is necessary to” order its closure, ”the Council of State had estimated.
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Several thousand people, 5,000 according to the police, reported Sunday in Brussels to demand the withdrawal of this measure. Speaking of “inconsistency” or even “aberration”, health experts have publicly condemned the closure of cultural places, the closure of cultural places, all the more surprising that, at the same time, cafes and restaurants remained open until 11 p.m. throughout Belgium. Certain theaters and numerous cinemas, notably in Brussels, Namur (center) and Liège (East), had decided to defy the ban by remaining open.
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