About ten anti-Israel rioters disrupted a session of the Belgian Parliament today (Thursday), making their way to the podium and throwing flyers at the MPs.
The demonstrators chanted "Stop the genocide" and were removed from the plenum a few minutes later.
In response, Michael Freilich, a Jewish MP for the New Flemish Alliance party, removed a necklace he wore containing the words "Bring them home," referring to the Israeli hostages held by Hamas, and displayed it for the demonstrators and the cameras while chanting the phrase on the necklace.
Speaking to Arutz Sheva - Israel National News about the incident, Freilich said, "I think it's important that we have a Jewish voice in Parliament to be able to do such counteractions because if I'm not here, no one does that."
"If people want to have a one-sided political debate then they should realize that I'm here and I will always stand for and fight for the innocent victims, the Israeli innocent victims, the families, the children, the women, the men who are still held in Gaza. So I did this today with lots of pride for the Jewish people," he said.
In light of the increase in antisemitic threats in Belgium after the outbreak of the war, authorities decided to increase security at Jewish institutions in Brussels and Antwerp.
Interior Minister Annelies Verlinden announced that Jewish schools and places of worship would receive added protection due to tensions surrounding the Hamas massacre of October 7 and Israel's retaliation against Hamas.