Belgian entertainment professionals have followed the lead of initiatives like #LetUsDance in the U.K. and #SaveOurStages in the U.S. for their own campaign, #SoundOfSilence. Their demands, however, are much different.
#SoundOfSilence advocates like Charlotte de Witte and Selah Sue have shared a series of graphics across social media platforms that call for lawmakers to allow gatherings to go on with social distancing measures in place. The “perspective” they ask of officials is a far cry from the financial aid demanded in similar campaigns. They argue that 80,000 people and 3,000 companies in the event sector are threatened by restrictions imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19 while other industries, like airlines, are still allowed to operate.
“It’s difficult for our sector to understand that other things are possible, such as taking a full plane. The lack of perspective is the most important factor,” Katrien Vermeire, one of the architects of the campaign, told VRT NWS. “Many local authorities have decided to ban all events on their territory for a certain period of time. In theory, events with a maximum of 100 attendees are allowed inside. In the open air, a maximum of 200 people are allowed to attend an event, and visitors must wear a mouth mask all the time.”
At the time of writing, the World Health Organization reports a total of 74,527 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Belgium with a resulting death toll of 9,879. Deaths by day have remained in the low single digits since late June.
