In the face an imminent terror threat, and ongoing raids, Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel has told his people to “remain calm, to be serene, and go about your lives,” because to do so would allow ISIS and other terror groups to win.
“But also,” he added, “we’ve shut down everything.”
The Belgian capital of Brussels has been in total lockdown for days now, facing an imminent terror threat, with schools, government buildings, public transport, and other institutions closing their doors entirely.
Despite this, Michel is still telling residents of the city to carry on their lives as normal, with the small exception of going to school, work, or outside.
“The message we send to ISIS and their sympathizers is clear,” he reiterated. “We cannot be intimidated. We cannot be coerced into backing away from our day-to-day lives. We shall persist.”
“But at the same time,” he added, “please do not leave your homes, and preferably, don’t get too close to your doors and windows, either.”
Otherwise, he urged, Belgians should continue their lives as best they can from the confines of a small cupboard “that it would be unlikely anyone would find you in.”
Michel warned against “opening your door to anyone,” including family and friends, who, “in all likelihood, could be ISIS.
Belgians spoken to by media were largely accepting of the Prime Minister’s call to caution, with a majority saying it had barely affected their day-to-day activities, which mostly included never going outside, staring at their phones, and watching people die on television.