Brussels to file complaint after Nazi salute at 7 March demonstration
The City of Brussels will file a legal complaint after a Nazi salute was made during a demonstration at Place Poelaert on Saturday 7 March 2026. Mayor Philippe Close announced on Sunday that the city will ask the public prosecutor’s office to identify the person responsible.
The demonstration was organised by a small group describing itself as “anti-antifa”. Around thirty people gathered to commemorate Quentin Deranque, a French far-right activist who died on 12 February 2026 after being beaten during a demonstration in Lyon.
Images circulating on social media show one of the protesters performing a Nazi salute while carrying a Flemish flag marked with a Celtic cross, a symbol frequently used by far-right groups. Close described the footage as “deeply shocking”.
“Brussels is an open and diverse city. These hateful ideologies have no place here,” the mayor said. The city will pursue legal action over the incident.
Counter-protest
At the same time, around 200 antifascist demonstrators gathered nearby in response to the event. Police separated the two groups with barriers and deployed more than 100 officers to prevent clashes.
Witnesses reported that police carried out identity checks on several antifascist protesters, while the smaller “anti-antifa” group was not subjected to similar controls.
Tensions remained mostly limited to chanting between the groups. When some counter-protesters attempted to cross the police cordon, officers intervened and detained one person.
By mid-afternoon, the far-right demonstrators were escorted away from Place Poelaert towards the Louise roundabout. Police later pushed remaining antifascist protesters away from the square, at times using batons and tear gas.
By filing a complaint, the City of Brussels seeks to underline that explicit Nazi symbolism will be pursued through legal channels. The incident also illustrates how small extremist groups continue to claim visibility in public spaces and how quickly they provoke organised opposition.
Source:
City of Brussels to lodge complaint against Nazi salutes at demonstration - The Brussels Times