BELGIUM: 60,000 ATTEND FLEMISH NATIONALIST RALLY

Record ID: 215134

  • Title: BELGIUM: 60,000 ATTEND FLEMISH NATIONALIST RALLY
  • Date: 21st August 1966
  • Summary: MASSES CROWD; SPEAKERS; PEOPLE WITH PLACARDS. Initials JMC/V-S/JH/EEH Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 5th September 1966 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: DIXMUDE, BELGIUM
  • Country: Belgium
  • Reuters ID: LVA4JVLYRW163MVZ3ZBAUUZ1NYAF
  • Story Text: RIOT POLICE WERE STANDING BY TODAY (SUNDAY) WHEN 60,000 PEOPLE ATTENDED A FLEMISH NATIONALIST RALLY IN DIXMUDE, WEST BELGIUM. THE POLICE FEARED THE RALLY MIGHT BRING RENEWED VIOLENCE IN THE COUNTRY'S "LANGUAGE WAR", BUT THE MEETING PASSED OFF QUIETLY.

    THE RALLY WAS HELD AT THE YSER TOWER, A WORLD WAR ONE SHRINE AND A SYMBOL OF FLEMISH NATIONALISM. RIVALRIES BETWEEN FIVE MILLION FLEMISH-SPEAKING BELGIANS AND FOUR MILLION WALLOONS, WHOSE LANGUAGE IS FRENCH, HAVE MADE THE "LANGUAGE WAR" BELGIUM'S BITTEREST POLITICAL PROBLEM. EXTREMIST ON BOTH SIDES SEEK AUTONOMY FOR THEIR OWN LINGUISTIC REGIONS.

    FEARS THAT TODAY'S RALLY MIGHT LEAD TO VIOLENCE WERE INTENSIFIED BY A POLICE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THEY HAD TO FOILED A FLEMISH EXTREMIST PLOT TO SET OFF TIME BOMBS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. POLICE SAID NINE MEMBERS OF FLEMISH EXTREMIST ORGANISATIONS HAD BEEN ARRESTED LAST THURSDAY (18 AUGUST) AS THEY WERE ABOUT THE LEAVE AN EXPLOSIVES WORKSHOP. ALL NINE WERE SAID TO BE ARMED WITH BOMBS, BUT FOUR OF THE MEN WERE RELEASED YESTERDAY (SATURDAY). THE OTHERS WERE CHARGED WITH OFFENCES CONCERNING EXPLOSIVES.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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