27 Dec 2013

Asylum seekers in Belgium demand meeting with PM

6:53 am on 27 December 2013

Afghan asylum seekers in Belgium have set up a protest camp in the town of Mons, demanding to meet Prime Minister Elio di Rupo.

Mr di Rupo is also the mayor of Mons and the asylum seekers say they will camp in the town square until they see him.

They are pressing to be granted residency and for a guarantee that none of them will be expelled.

Some 350 asylum seekers set off on a march to Mons from Brussels on Friday.

The BBC reports they previously occupied a church in Brussels to draw attention to their situation.

Mr di Rupo is currently abroad and is returning to Belgium on Monday.