Limburg (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Dozens of Flemish lion flags appeared along the E313 near Lummen on October 10, 2025, in Limburg. The AWV removed them for safety. Zoë Debbaut and Mayor Luc Wouters commented.
As VRT News reported, early this morning, October 10, 2025, Dozens of yellow flags with the black Flemish lion were placed along the roadside in several areas, including near Lummen on the E313 motorway. The Roads and Traffic Agency (Agentschap Wegen en Verkeer, AWV) stated that the flags were placed without permission.
Officials explained that it is forbidden to place any banners or signs on public roads without prior approval. Once the agency received the reports, road crews were dispatched immediately to remove the flags and keep traffic safe.
Who placed dozens of Flemish flags on the E313 in Limburg?
AWV spokesperson Zoë Debbaut said the action was unsafe.
“It may look symbolic, but it is dangerous,”
she said.
“In Lummen, the flags were set up on the hard shoulder, which means people had to stop their cars there. That is illegal and creates a serious risk for everyone.”
Debbaut confirmed that no request had been filed for this display. She added that the hard shoulder must stay clear for emergencies or broken-down vehicles only. The agency said the removal was done quickly to avoid accidents or distractions for drivers.
“We have no idea who organised it,”
Debbaut said. So far, no one has claimed responsibility. Lummen mayor Luc Wouters (CD&V) also expressed surprise.
“Such a large effort usually carries a message, but no one has stepped forward, which is strange,”
he said.
Officials mentioned that the Flemish lion often represents regional pride or political symbolism, but the motive for this incident is unclear. The Roads and Traffic Agency confirmed that all flags have been taken down and that checks will continue to stop similar unauthorised actions in the future.
Similar flag actions have taken place in Flanders before. In July 2023, dozens of Flemish lion flags were also placed along highways and bridges in Antwerp and Limburg ahead of the Flemish Community Holiday on July 11.
A year earlier, in 2022, a similar event was reported near Turnhout and Hasselt, where groups placed flags along busy roads to show Flemish pride. Authorities again warned that such actions are unsafe and violate road regulations.
