Police Brace for ‘BBQ and Beer’ Protest at Francken’s Home
Belgian police have intensified patrols around the private residence of Defense Minister Theo Francken (N-VA) in Lubbeek, Flemish Brabant, following a controversial Facebook event that invited people to a “BBQ and beer” gathering at his home this weekend. Authorities have warned that anyone trespassing on the property will face immediate fines.
Police Chief Walter Vranckx confirmed that the local police zone covering Bierbeek, Boutersem, Holsbeek, and Lubbeek has taken preparatory measures in response to the event and similar pages that have since appeared online. “Patrols have been intensified and the necessary preparations have been made,” Vranckx told Het Laatste Nieuws. “We naturally hope it stays calm. We’re keeping an eye on it.” He added that anyone attempting to enter the property would be committing trespassing: “Should those people even think about it: that’s trespassing. They’ll get fines, without hesitation.”
The Facebook Event
The event, titled “WEEKEND BIJ FRANCKEN THEO,” was created by Peter Terryn (63), an anarchist-inspired political activist from Leuven who runs the sociocultural café “Het Groot Ongelijk” in Kessel-Lo. The invitation cynically referenced a social media post by Francken about the heatwave, in which the minister wrote: “It’s two days warm and we’re all going to die, apparently” and “LIVE!”
The original event posting included an AI-manipulated image showing Francken on a beach with the drowned Syrian toddler Aylan Kurdi, who died in 2015 while fleeing the conflict in Syria. It also briefly shared Francken’s private home address. Both the image and the address were later removed following criticism, according to VRT NWS.
Political Reactions
Francken responded furiously to the event, calling it “many bridges too far.” In a statement, he said: “Satire and political criticism belong in a democracy, but when you target someone’s home and family, a line is crossed. Such actions do not intimidate me, but politicians also have families.” He also pointed to what he described as a growing radicalization of the far-left.
N-VA Party Chair Valerie Van Peel condemned the action as “disgusting and pure intimidation.” Writing on social media, she said: “In a post, spreading someone’s private address, accompanied by the photo of a deceased child, and calling people to gather at his home? That is disgusting and pure intimidation.”
The Activist’s Defense
Terryn, who has a history of legal trouble including a 2019 conviction for distributing a pamphlet on how to sabotage railway tracks before a national protest (later acquitted on appeal), defended his actions as legitimate political satire. He told VRT NWS that the event was meant to criticize Francken’s dismissive attitude toward the dangers of heatwaves, noting that heatwaves directly killed 2,300 people across 12 European cities last year.
“The event is my way of criticizing how Minister Francken deals with the serious problem of heatwaves,” Terryn said. “Hundreds are dying and we will experience these phenomena more and more often. Then it’s quite foolish to dismiss this laughingly as a non-issue.”
Terryn claimed that the address posted online was not Francken’s real address and said he had no regrets about the action. “The address is not correct,” he said. “So Francken doesn’t need to worry.”
Analysis: Satire vs. Intimidation
The incident sits at the intersection of several contentious debates in Belgian politics. On one side, the action raises questions about the boundaries of political satire and freedom of expression. On the other, it highlights concerns about the safety of politicians and their families, as well as the growing polarization in Belgian public life.
The root cause of the protest — Francken’s dismissive social media post about the heatwave — also touches on a genuine policy debate about climate preparedness. Belgium is currently experiencing an intense heatwave with temperatures reaching up to 38°C, and the government’s response to extreme weather events has become a flashpoint for activists.
What’s Next
As of Saturday, June 27, police remain on standby at Francken’s residence. It remains unclear whether any demonstrators will actually gather at the minister’s home. The situation is being closely monitored by local authorities, who have made clear that any trespassing will be met with legal consequences. Francken has not yet indicated whether he will file a formal legal complaint against Terryn.