Brussels

text by ReROOT researcher Shila Hadji Heydari Anaraki (KUL)
Edited by Cornelia Tippel (ILS) and Mary Hogan (KUL)

Many newcomers currently fight to survive on the streets of Brussels as they are denied access to the reception centres for asylum seekers. Civic organisations, lawyers and individual citizens actively support this group of homeless newcomers and mobilize against their precarious situation. Considering the high dynamics at play, platform building in Brussels was to adjust to, inscribe into, and work with what is already in the field. Thus, platform-building initiatives co-politicize, co-activate, and co-live. All the initiatives have two main goals and target groups: On the one hand, the goal is to improve the situation for people who are forced into homelessness due to the current Belgian and European migration politics. On the other hand, the aim is to put pressure on policy-makers and raise awareness about the problem among broader society. Policy-makers and the broader public are mainly reached through the mediatization of the actions, interviews, public debates, and writings. Besides many small-scale activities, some larger ones, such as the sofa action, were initiated.

Target groups
All the initiatives have two main goals and target groups: On the one hand, the goal is to improve the situation for people who are forced into homelessness due to the current Belgian and European migration politics. I am in close contact and with this group and develop the activities together with them. On the other hand, the aim is to put pressure on policy makers and raise awareness about the problem among broader society. The policy makers and broader public are mainly reached through the mediatization of the actions, interviews, public debates, and writings.

Overview of activities

First Occupation: PALAIS DES DROITS

Presence and Support: The researcher actively participated at the Palais des droits, joining a support team, listening to inhabitants, and assisting when possible.
Cooking for Hundreds: Despite the absence of food in the building, the researcher and a team of volunteers cooked for hundreds of inhabitants using the building’s large kitchen.
Addressing Issues: The researcher attended meetings with civic police to discuss ways to improve the situation for the building’s inhabitants.
Community Connection: A tour of the area with the inhabitants helped connect with neighbors.
Basketball Game: The researcher organized a basketball game involving both building inhabitants and friends.
Resource Gathering: Visiting local bakeries, the researcher requested leftover bread for the residents.
Coordination Efforts: Negotiations with city authorities focused on trash removal coordination and the installation of toilets and showers.
Evacuation: Unfortunately, the building was eventually evacuated in February.

Second Occupation: A CAMP AT A BRIDGE

Protest Action on the Bridge:

The researcher co-initiated a protest action by sleeping in a tent on the bridge alongside supportive individuals.
This action garnered local and national media attention.

Daily Meetings and Mobilization:

The researcher facilitated daily meetings among the camp’s inhabitants, empowering the community and addressing challenges.

Info Point and Collaborative Development:

Solidary citizens established an info point at the bridge, providing structure and organization on-site.
The researcher planned to use this space for collaborative development, including creating a logo for the mappingsolidarity website.

Third Occupation: OCCUPFEDERALE

Occupation and Siege:

The occupied federal crisis center faced a siege by federal police immediately after its opening.
Occupants and activists were locked inside the building.

Support Team and Language Learning:

The researcher was part of the support team and slept in the building alongside other occupants.
“Learning together” moments were initiated to share French, English, and Dutch language skills.

Delivering Fedasil Sofas:

With the assistance of protection seekers and members of the ‘Stop the reception crisis’ movement, the researcher delivered Fedasil sofas.
These sofas were purchased at an auction where other Fedasil furniture was also sold, aiming to provide comfort and dignity to people deprived of their right to stay.

Fourth Occupation: Toc toc Nicole

Medical Contact and NGO Negotiations:

The researcher served as a medical contact person for the inhabitants of the occupation.
Negotiations with various NGOs aimed to provide essential medical services.

Community Building and Advocacy:

A game afternoon and Iftar (breaking of fast) gathering with 40 people were hosted at the researcher’s place.
Participation in a public debate on crises in Brussels included inviting an asylum seeker from OccupFédérale to share their perspective.
Providing shelter to a homeless person under the Dublin convention and offering a room to someone who needed an address for family reunification.

For full archive of press coverage of these activities visit the "press" page of this website.

Lessons Learned and Open Questions

How can transformative actions and research aims be balanced (researchers’ positionality)?

Dual Roles and Entanglement:

Researchers often find themselves straddling two worlds: academic research and activism. These spheres can overlap, creating complex situations.
The entanglement of personal and professional roles, such as being both a researcher and an activist, can be both complementary and conflicting.
Balancing time commitments between these roles is crucial, as they may compete for attention and energy.

Navigating Positionality:

Researchers must grapple with their positionality—how they relate to the subjects of their study and the broader context.
Transparency about one’s role is essential, especially in dynamic environments where people come and go.
Reflecting on motivations for participating in movements or gatherings—whether for research or activism—is vital.

Ethical Dilemmas:

The intertwining of personal and professional life raises ethical questions. For instance, hosting an Iftar at home—does it serve research purposes or stem from personal convictions?
Researchers must navigate these dilemmas, considering their impact on both their work and the community they engage with.

Militant Research:

Militant research diverges from traditional academic research. It lacks a fixed object of study and seeks knowledge useful for social struggles.
It bridges social practices, critical inquiry, and epistemic challenges, aiming to empower marginalized voices.