Thousands stage silent demo over teenager's death

More than 50,000 demonstrators walked silently through the Belgian capital today to protest at the killing of a teenager who refused to give his MP3 player to two young thieves.

Despite nationwide distribution of video pictures of two suspects who ambushed Joe Van Holsbeeck and a friend on April 12, police have yet to make a breakthrough in the case.

The 17-year-old was stabbed to death at the busy Brussels Central train station, a killing that shocked the nation.

The parents of Van Holsbeeck had asked for a non-political, silent march, and requested that political parties remain in the background. The march went by Brussels Central station, where protesters laid hundreds of flowers at the scene of the crime.

“As a society we cannot tolerate brute violence,” Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt told the weekend edition of De Morgen newspaper.

Large groups of boy scouts led the march and many families took part in the demonstration, which was organised at short notice. The march was one of the biggest in years.

First police estimates said the number of protesters were around 60,000. One television network said at least 80,000 took part.