Brussels Firefighters Strange Protest

[JJB531 652]

Foam fight: Brussels brought to a standstill as protesting firefighters turn their hoses on policeBy Daily Mail Reporter

Last updated at 1:47 PM on 23rd January 2010

When a disgruntled group of Belgian firefighters wanted to press for speedier promotions, an ordinary street demonstration just wouldn't cut it.

Instead, the 150-strong group turned to their trusty water trucks to make themselves seen - blocking the streets of the capital Brussels with a spectacular foam display.

Read more: http://www.dailymail...rs-protest.html

Edited January 24, 2010 by jack10562
Quote Source

[Guest]

Now that is what I call an original idea. Props to the firefighters for standing up for what they believe in while maintaining a safe and peaceful method of demonstration. Those photos are pretty funny.

[JBE 328]

Yeah, try that here. The public would be flipping out, and everyone involved would get hooked up big time.

[Tanker 10eng 140]

Maybe my Chief is lying to us, but in Croton there is always complaints about using foam for drills... The only time *83 let us play with it, was when it was OLD ( past the design life ).... So is it cheaper in Bressels ? I understand what they are trying to say, but to waste all that foam ( sure looked like allot of foam ), was a big mistake... If I was on the Town ( or City ) board, I would be looking for someone to cover that cost...and the clean up fees... That being the FF's and not the Town's people...

[Remember585 815]

While I see the humor in it, I also see some serious negligence by the firefighters.

1. All of these apparatus are here, what is left for emergency responses?

2. Say an incident comes up that would require the use of that foam? Oops, we used it to prove a point, sorry.

3. Lighting fires in the streets? Come on.

4. Blocking streets and causing a public hazard, not smart.

Like it or not, public servants are held to a higher standard, and this is bordering on moronic. If it occurred here, people would of went ape sh1t!

But, I do think it is funny and probably got some peoples' attention. Hopefully whatever it is they're seeking is met and done so before more shennanigans occurs.

[khas143 13]

Hopefully whatever it is they're seeking is met and done so before more shennanigans occurs.

Sorry Chief, I gotta disagree with you on this one. Giving the firefighters what they wanted out of their illegal and dangerous protest will only show people that criminal actions are a way to get what you want. I would tell the firefighters to go scratch and dock their pay for the material cost and cleanup of their protest. This would include all of the other personnel costs associated with their little stunt. (i.e. PD costs, DPW, etc)

Other than that I will say the photos are hilarious.

[helicopper 1,050]

Civil and legal protests are an excellent tool to get a message out and influence an issue. However this was neither. Blocking streets, setting fires, and damaging/defacing buildings are criminal acts. Spraying foam on the riot police is neither funny or a service to their cause. Using government equipment and resources (foam) to stage the protest is certainly an issue too. In the US, this would probably have been handled much differently.

To commend this type of conduct undermines the cause and demeans all the entitities that use peaceful protests as a tool to promote their issue. Imagine if the New Haven 20 had chosen this course of action?

These people should be ashamed of themselves and I doubt their promotions will be sped up as a result.

[efdcapt115 1,511]

Sorry Chief, I gotta disagree with you on this one. Giving the firefighters what they wanted out of their illegal and dangerous protest will only show people that criminal actions are a way to get what you want. I would tell the firefighters to go scratch and dock their pay for the material cost and cleanup of their protest. This would include all of the other personnel costs associated with their little stunt. (i.e. PD costs, DPW, etc)

Other than that I will say the photos are hilarious.

I did a little reading and found that things are just a little bit different in Belgium, than they are here in America. Over 50% of the workforce is unionized in Belgium. They basically have three labor unions for the entire country. These three unions cover the full spectrum of workers, from civil servants to industrial workers. They are extremely active in politics, and exert strength through all levels of government; basically because all workers in Belgium benefit from these unions' organization and influence. Belgians enjoy higher wages, better benefits and social security than their European Union counterparts. Supposedly workers with computer skills are in short supply because of the availabilty of good paying jobs with little education required! Just be a Belgian.

If you think our union protection is strong here in the United States, particularly in New York which has pro-labor laws, you should read about how much stronger it is in Belgium. Employees basically cannot be fired, anywhere, without a lengthy process which would include severance pay, and a court hearing. Everyone in the labor force is guaranteed sick-leave pay, family allowances and unemployment insurance amongst other benefits.

These firefighters were probably hosing down some government buildings, where the bureaucrats all working inside are members of the same union! Everyone was pretty much laughing, including the cops who are probably in the same union as well. Union demonstrations are pretty much an accepted thing across Europe, and most people don't get too upset because they're probably members too.

I'm including a link where I got some of this information. It's poorly written. Couldn't help but thinking it was by some highly paid, yet bad spelling, card-carrying, unionized Belgian.

http://internationalbusiness.wikia.com/wiki/Belgium's_Labor_Unions

Also thanks to JJB531 for starting the thread. It's been refreshing to read up on the web about a different society, with a very different approach to how that society is run.