We are sharing some statements from people detained at the Bruges detention centre, following calls on 18 April 2026.
‘Last night there was a protest because we were banned from smoking before going to sleep: a fight broke out with the guards. Five detainees were thrown into solitary confinement. Violently.”
‘Today, some wanted to go on hunger strike. The ‘leader’ was taken away; the detainees heard him cry out “help” several times, then nothing. Silence… He’s apparently in solitary confinement…’
On Monday 20 April, most of the inmates who rebelled were transferred to other centres or moved to different wings to stifle the solidarity movements.
The inmates are insisting that people come and demonstrate outside the centre: “This centre is a shame.”
An inmate from Bruges was keen to pass on this message to us:
“Hello, I’ve contacted you regarding what was said earlier. I’ll start with hygiene. As I said earlier, the showers are filthy. The food is rotten and there isn’t enough of it. There are 20 of us sleeping in a cell with bunk beds. It’s truly unbearable and all that.
There’s no one to make a difference, to speak up for us. We’re all in the same boat here. And we’re really struggling.
When there are illnesses, we cut our nails with the same tool, we all do the same thing in the shower. They don’t let us sleep; they wake us up at 8 o’clock in the morning.
We have to go to bed at 10 pm: they switch off the lights.
There’s no hygiene; it’s not clean.
There’s no privacy.
Depriving someone of their freedom just to throw them in here is inhumane.
Some of the guards treat us with racism here. We’re all just numbers.”
The conditions of detention in Bruges are appalling. Strength and solidarity to those who have to endure them.
But even with better conditions, we wouldn’t want these detention centres!
Deprivation of liberty kills; borders kill.
SOLIDARITY WITH DETAINEES IN BRUGES AND ELSEWHERE
LET THESE DETENTION CENTRES BURN
SHAME ON THE STATE, DOWN WITH THE STATE
FREEDOM FOR ALL
