At least 7,000 people
took to the streets of Brussels in a march "against terror and hate".
Heading the
processions were some of those caught up in the suicide bomb attacks on
Belgium's airport and metro station that killed 32 people.
Belgian broadcaster
described the march as "calm and silent".
The march had been due
to be held a week after the 22 March attacks, but officials asked for it to be
postponed because of the security threat.
Relatives of victims,
and paramedics and airport staff affected by the attacks joined people of
several religious faiths on Sunday's march. Flowers were carried in memory of
those who lost their lives.
The procession took
them past the Molenbeek neighbourhood - where many of those alleged to have
carried out the attacks in both Brussels and Paris had lived - and to the
makeshift memorial outside the city's stock exchange.
One of the organisers
of the march, Hassan Bousetta, told the AFP news agency: "When our fellow
citizens, defenceless civilians, are cut down in a cowardly attack, all
citizens should stand up to express their disgust and solidarity."
The turnout was less than
half of the 15,000 organisers had hoped for.
Image copyrightAFP
The attacks in
Brussels were claimed by the Islamic State militant group, which also said it
was behind the gun and bomb attacks in Paris on 13 November that killed 130
people.
Belgian police have made dozens of arrests in recent weeks, but
the authorities - and other security agencies in Europe - are under pressure
amid revelations of alleged failures and missed opportunities to
stop the terror cell that carried out both attacks.
Image copyrightEPAImage copyrightReuters
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