Anyway, on my way to work this morning my eye was caught by a white pick-up van pulling a trailer with a large yellow box that passed me to stop outside the federal parliament in Wetstraat in Brussels. I noticed the word Greenpeace on the side so crossed the street for a better look. The pick-up had stopped beside the usual huddle of cameras and booms waiting for ministers to arrive for their Friday morning confab.

Suddenly six Greenpeace t-shirts jumped out. Within seconds they uncoupled the trailer, and the pick-up sped off. As the police approached the six to tell them to move their trailer, the box slowly sank to the ground. The officers scurried around looking for wheels while above their heads the top folded up to complete the image of the federal prime minister holding a wind turbine snapped in the middle. In large letters ran the message Sorry, hier stelt kernenergie de wet – “Sorry, nuclear energy decides the law here”.

By now, the arm of the law was looking for a door into the box but found none. Screwdrivers and crowbars were fetched but to no avail. Heads all turned as from the inside of the open-topped box the air was filled with the sound of various crooners singing songs about being sorry. This was interrupted every few minutes by an announcement, supposedly from the prime minister, apologising for the decision to put off the closure of the three oldest nuclear plants in Belgium for 10 years: “Bericht aan de bevolking – message to the public (“population”) … De regering verontschuldigt zich maar hier stelt kernenergie de wet – The government apologises but nuclear energy decides the law here.

All the time, the six t-shirts – men and women of all ages – stood to attention by their box. Reinforcements came and tried to kick their way in, but the box was too sturdy. Passing motorists sounded their opinions clearly for or against. Then there was movement at the top of the box as two teenage girls stood up holding banners. Meanwhile, ministers unwittingly arrived to be interviewed by the camera horde to the sounds of sorry, so sorry songs.

It was a great piece of street theatre, but I had to tear myself away from the crowd before the end. As I strolled through the park to my daily grind, I thought about those wearing the t-shirts, their great planning and I must say, their convictions.

www.greenpeace.be