- Title: BELGIUM: Brussels traffic lights turn into hearts for Valentine's Day
- Date: 17th February 2008
- Summary: (L!) BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (FEBRUARY 14, 2008) (REUTERS) (NIGHT VIEWS) 'LOVE COMMANDOS' WALKING WITH STEP LADDER IN FRONT OF THE ROYAL PALACE 'LOVE COMMANDOS PUTTING LADDER IN FRONT OF TRAFFIC LIGHT 'LOVE COMMANDO'S' FEET ON THE STEP LADDER LOVE COMMANDO TRYING TO PUT A HEART ON RED LIGHT LOVE COMMANDO PUTTING HEART ON TRAFFIC LIGHT TRAFFIC LIGHT IN FRONT OF PARC IN FRONT OF
- Embargoed: 3rd March 2008 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Belgium
- Country: Belgium
- Topics: Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVA3IWK3G22PB3UCP0ZQLBT3UBLS
- Story Text: Love commandos in Brussels stop the traffic with a special Valentine's day heart on the city's lights.
The heart of Europe is beating strong on Valentine's Day thanks to the 'love commandos', a small group of Belgians who scour the city at night, heart cut-outs in hand, to turn the city's traffic lights into fiery declarations of love.
On the eve of the international day of passion, under the cover of darkness, they secretly and quietly climb up traffic light posts to stick the little black hearts on the red light.
Authorities don't like it because they think its harder for drivers to see red. But nothing would deter these activists from carrying out what they call 'Operation Saint Valentine'. Its all in the name of love. And they are very careful to leave a big enough heart for drivers to see it clearly.
The underground 'commando' group has been active for seven years. Last year around 50 of them stuck around one thousand paper hearts on Brussels' traffic lights. This year the leaders have no idea how many people were involved since they launched an appeal for volunteers on the internet.
But by morning, love was in the air, even if the sun was missing.
And although the police don't like the hearts its a real hit amongst the lovers of Brussels.
"I think the little hearts are really nice, because they are the fires of love, of passion etc.. and its quite good on a red light. Its a little wink to love. Its cool," says Diane.
"Me, I love these little hearts everywhere. Every time I see them I find them lovely. But I don't like Valentine's day," says her lover of 7 years Arnaud.
"Well since he doesn't like it and that we are together I am a little bit forced not to like it either," says Diane.
Its not enough to say I love you just one day of the year says Arnaud, everyday is a day to declare your love.
"And for me, Valentine's Day, its everything except Valentine's day," Arnaud says. "Valentine's Day its all year round for us"
Arnaud says.
The 'love commando' movement was Fabian's idea. He calls himself the 'heart specialist'. The first year, he and his girlfriend only managed to hit 5 traffic lights. The following years he managed to enrol the help of his friends and the movement grew and grew to what it is today, a traffic monument of love with hundreds of traffic lights hit by the mark of passion on Valentine's day.
His dream is for all the city's lights to turn into hearts all year round because, he says, it brings a smile to people's faces.
"If one day red traffic lights are no longer simple circles but rather hearts I think it would be nice. Its totally utopian but there you go," Fabian says.
You don't have to be a teenager to celebrate Valentine's Day.
Fourty-one year-old Francoise Derathe has planned a romantic dinner with her husband.
"I prepared a surprise at home for my husband. The table is painted red already, there are flowers and candles and when he comes back home in the evening it will be a nice surprise," says Francoise.
Fabian doesn't want to stop at Valentine's Day and is pleased that his idea has spread amongst other communities. He says he saw four-leaf clovers on green lights for St Patrick's Day whilst others put little christmas tree cut outs last December.
He now hopes other countries will do the same and switch the lights of passion in all the streets of the world. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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