505 concerts send out a signal: “The world is getting colder, but together we can start a wave of engagement” (Antwerp)

N-VA faction leader in the Chamber and local resident of Antwerp’s Sint-Jansplein Peter De Roover tweeted yesterday afternoon that he had to conclude “that there is almost never as little diversity on our Sint-Jansplein as today with that 505 concert. The square is almost empty.” That was actually correct. The terraces around the square also attracted a crowd that is rather atypical for those cafes.

Bart Staes, retired but he will still push the European Green list in the coming elections, watches it with his partner at the back of the audience. “These will indeed mainly be voters from Groen, Vooruit, PVDA and, I hope, also a number of progressives from CD&V. And yes, you could possibly call that sermons for your own parish. But they are all people who together give an important signal, and who often cannot do much more than this: make it known that they do not agree with the way things are currently going in the world. That it has to be more human.”

Palestine

More humanity, it was the main denominator of 505. A vague concept, but for the artists the themes were clear. Singer and actor Pieter Embrechts, for example, harked back to George Floyd, “murdered by a white police officer”, to Sanda Dia, and to “all other victims of racism”. He also spoke out against the “advancing extreme right”. Illustrator Chrostin made a text for Palestine, calling Israel “genocide perpetrators”.

“Because the musical offering here is mainstream, the message gets through to a mainstream audience, and that is positive”

Geert Budts

Spectator

Spectator Geert Budts, alias DJ Butsenzeller, is happy that those statements were made, he says. “I was a bit afraid that it would remain too vague. Vlaams Belang will also be in favor of more humanity, for its own people than… Look, in my circles, the underground scene, racism is not an issue. But because the musical offering here is mainstream, the message does get through to a mainstream audience, and that is positive. If PVDA had organized it here, many artists would probably not have dared to stick their necks out.” Geert not only stands for more humanity here, he says, but also “against the fascism of N-VA and Vlaams Belang, which divide people into categories”.

505 volunteer Ina Colman, “one of just over a hundred volunteers”, sees the waiting lists in disability care, her sector, as a sign of too little humanity. “When I started as a 21-year-old they already existed and at the age of 54 they are still there. And just look at the news: the world is getting colder. More humanity is a necessity and that is why I like to come here from Ghent.”

“Politics should be more humane, right? And the cohesive atmosphere of such a concert is ideal to indicate this”

Eveline Verbist

Spectator

Generations

From less far away, from Lier, Eef Ceulemans and Jeroen Raemen came to Antwerp. Here too, my own reason: “I have been following 505 organizer Elisabeth van Lierop as an influencer for a long time,” says Eef. “We are also ecological, I think her lifestyle and parenting style is super cool. And we think the idea of ​​equality and humanity is really important. Being able to be here together with like-minded people is something we would also pay an entrance fee for.” Is it not ‘too’ unanimous here? “I do admit that I would have a hard time being friends with someone who is right-wing.” Jeroen adds: “But at the same time we have to enter into dialogue.”

The audience might have been of the same kind, of all generations it certainly was. “We never used to take our children to concerts, but now you see children wearing headphones to protect their hearing. That makes it a family event, and that’s fun,” says Bart Staes. Friends Eveline Verbist and Adelien De Pauw brought their daughters, Rosie and Flo, both two. They both say that they do not agree with the harsh climate in politics. “Politics should be more humane, right? And the cohesive atmosphere of such a concert is ideal to indicate this,” says Eveline. “I was there at the 0110 concerts, and I definitely wanted to experience something like that again.”

“It is the moment when Flanders indicated loud and clear that humanity must form the basis of policy”

Els Hertogen

Initiator

The initiators of 505, Els Hertogen from 11.11.11, Elisabeth van Lierop and Tijs Delbeke, call the event, with 20,000 spectators on and around Sint-Jansplein and at least 15,000 individual livestream viewers, “a great success”. For Hertogen, 505 is from now on “the moment when Flanders indicated loudly and clearly that humanity must form the basis of policy.” Initiator Elisabeth van Lierop hopes to be able to start “a wave of commitment together”.