Westerlo (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Residents of Westerlo and nearby towns spent 3 months creating an 11-kilometre red crocheted line, unveiled on December 10, 2025 (Human Rights Day), led by Jim Baeten, to show solidarity with Gaza.
As VRT News reported, the 11-kilometre red crocheted line was unveiled yesterday, Dec 10, 2025, on Human Rights Day during a gathering at the Westerlo town hall, in the province of Antwerp, Belgium. Residents carried the long strand through the streets and hung it across the building as a clear public message.
“The whole world is watching, and this cannot continue like this.”
Jim Baeten
“You can see it as a solidarity pact,”
Baeten explains.
“We’re drawing a line together, because all the horror in Gaza has to stop. The whole world is watching, and this can’t go on.”
“As a resident, you can’t do much, but that’s precisely the power of our campaign. Crocheting is something everyone can do. It’s so accessible.
So many people have helped, and now we’re all coming together at the town hall to tell our story. We’re making noise with pots and pans to break the silence.”
Organisers say the campaign is now reaching several districts, where each area is adding its own section to the long red thread. Many districts already hold a piece of the shared line. They explain that Westerlo’s support has been important, as the municipality provided room and cooperation to act. They add that other local authorities have also agreed to take part.
The group stresses that the campaign delivers a clear appeal to public officials. They believe every government and administration must speak out against what they describe as the inhumane violence in Gaza. They say the suffering must end and that leaders need the courage to address the situation.
Residents of Westerlo and nearby towns spent 3 months making an 11-kilometre red crocheted line as a sign of support for Gaza. People worked in homes, local halls, and cafés, each adding their own piece to the long thread. The red colour was chosen to mark the ongoing violence and to draw a symbolic line that should not be crossed.
The red-thread action in Westerlo follows a series of public responses in Belgium to the Gaza conflict, which escalated on October 7, 2023, after the Hamas attack on Israel and the subsequent military operations in Gaza. By late October 2023, towns across the country were holding vigils and small solidarity events as civilian losses increased.
Through November and December 2023, peace groups organised marches and handmade displays to draw attention to the crisis. Local actions continued into early 2024, with communities using simple craft projects to call for a ceasefire and better protection for civilians.
