Brussels: Congolese Protest Against DR Congo and Burundi Attacks in Minembwe

Congolese nationals living in Brussels gathered for a protest demonstration condemning ongoing military attacks in Minembwe, a commune located in South Kivu province in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The demonstrators, many carrying Congolese flags, called for an immediate end to military operations allegedly carried out by Congolese and Burundian forces in the area. Protesters also demanded the reopening of roads linking Minembwe to other regions and condemned what they described as hate speech targeting Congolese Tutsi communities.

During the demonstration, protesters chanted slogans accusing several regional political and military figures of responsibility for violence in Minembwe. The chants mentioned Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi, Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye, Mai-Mai militia leader William Amuri Yakutumba, and South Kivu lawmaker Justin Bitakwira.

The protesters also demanded justice for civilians affected by the violence and called for an end to ethnic divisions, urging communities in eastern Congo to coexist peacefully.

The demonstration took place outside institutions of the European Union in Brussels, including buildings linked to the European Parliament, as protesters appealed to the international community to respond to the security situation in Minembwe.

The Brussels protest follows similar demonstrations organized earlier this year in Washington, Kenya and Canada on April 20, 2026. Participants in those demonstrations also called on the international community to intervene and help stop violence affecting Minembwe and other parts of eastern DR Congo