Westerlo (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Residents of Westerlo and nearby towns spent 3 months creating an 11-kilometre red crocheted line, unveiled on December 10, 2025 (Human Rights Day), led by Jim Baeten, to show solidarity with Gaza.
As VRT News reported, the 11-kilometre red crocheted line was unveiled yesterday, Dec 10, 2025, on Human Rights Day during a gathering at the Westerlo town hall, in the province of Antwerp, Belgium. Residents carried the long strand through the streets and hung it across the building as a clear public message.
“The whole world is watching, and this cannot continue like this.”
Jim Baeten
“You can see it as a solidarity pact,”
Baeten explains.
“We’re drawing a line together, because all the horror in Gaza has to stop. The whole world is watching, and this can’t go on.”
“As a resident, you can’t do much, but that’s precisely the power of our campaign. Crocheting is something everyone can do. It’s so accessible.
So many people have helped, and now we’re all coming together at the town hall to tell our story. We’re making noise with pots and pans to break the silence.”
Organisers say the campaign is now reaching several districts, where each area is adding its own section to the long red thread. Many districts already hold a piece of the shared line. They explain that Westerlo’s support has been important, as the municipality provided room and cooperation to act. They add that other local authorities have also agreed to take part.
The group stresses that the campaign delivers a clear appeal to public officials. They believe every government and administration must speak out against what they describe as the inhumane violence in Gaza. They say the suffering must end and that leaders need the courage to address the situation.
Residents of Westerlo and nearby towns spent 3 months making an 11-kilometre red crocheted line as a sign of support for Gaza. People worked in homes, local halls, and cafés, each adding their own piece to the long thread. The red colour was chosen to mark the ongoing violence and to draw a symbolic line that should not be crossed.
The red-thread action in Westerlo follows a series of public responses in Belgium to the Gaza conflict, which escalated on October 7, 2023, after the Hamas attack on Israel and the subsequent military operations in Gaza. By late October 2023, towns across the country were holding vigils and small solidarity events as civilian losses increased.
Through November and December 2023, peace groups organised marches and handmade displays to draw attention to the crisis. Local actions continued into early 2024, with communities using simple craft projects to call for a ceasefire and better protection for civilians.
Comments
20 responses to “Westerlo Reveals 11 km Red Thread for Gaza, Led by Jim Baeten”
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Creating an 11 km red crochet line for Gaza? Brilliant! Because nothing says “we care” like a knitting circle taking on international diplomacy. 🧶🇧🇪
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Creating an 11 km red crocheted line for Gaza? Brilliant! Because nothing screams “let’s fix global issues” like a bunch of folks wielding crochet hooks! 🧶🙄
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Only in Belgium would we spend three months knitting a 11 km red thread to show solidarity—because who needs politicians when you have crochet hooks, right? 🧶🇧🇪
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Oh, brilliant! Crocheting for Gaza—because clearly, all international crises can be solved with a bit of yarn and community spirit. Next up: knitting a peace treaty! 😏🧶
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Ah, nothing screams “let’s change the world” quite like a yarn project that takes three months to crochet 11 kilometers of red thread. Just what we need, more crafty solutions to complex geopolitical issues! 🧶🇧🇪
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Creating an 11 km red thread to show solidarity? Brilliant! Next, let’s knit a giant sweater for world peace while we’re at it! 😏🧶
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Oh look, an 11 km red crocheted line for Gaza—because nothing says “we care” quite like a bit of yarn therapy! Honestly, who needs actual political action when you can just stitch away your concerns? 😂🧶
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Isn’t it just adorable how a bunch of knitters think they can crochet peace into existence? I mean, who needs diplomats when you’ve got grandma’s knitting circle, right? 😂🧶
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Creating an 11 km crocheted line for Gaza? Brilliant! Because who needs actual diplomatic efforts when you can just stitch your way to peace! 🧶🇧🇪
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Creating an 11-kilometre red crocheted line for Gaza? Brilliant strategy, nothing says “world peace” quite like a crafty knitting circle—who needs actual diplomacy when you have yarn? 🧶😏
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Oh, fantastic! An 11-kilometre crochet line—because nothing says “let’s resolve complex geopolitical issues” quite like a bit of yarn and a community craft project. 🎨🧶 Super effective, lads!
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So, Jim Baeten and the gang think an 11-kilometre yarn will solve Gaza’s woes? Brilliant! Next, let’s crochet a peace treaty while we’re at it! 😂🧶
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Crikey, nothing says “we care” like an 11 km red crochet line! Next stop, world peace through knitting clubs? 🧶🌍
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Looks like Jim Baeten’s latest masterpiece is a real showstopper—who knew solidarity could be so… knitty? 🤷♂️ I suppose when diplomacy fails, it’s time to whip out the crochet hooks! 🧶
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Creating an 11 km red thread for Gaza? Brilliant! Nothing says “we care” quite like a crochet marathon—next up, a knitting circle for world peace! 🧶🙄
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Ah, nothing says “serious activism” quite like 11 km of crochet – because clearly, the world’s leaders are just waiting for the knitting community to take the lead. 🧶 Let’s hope they don’t run out of red yarn before they manage to stitch together some actual change! 😂
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Crocheting for Gaza, eh? Who knew a bit of yarn could solve the world’s problems! 🙃 If only diplomacy were as easy as a stitch and a purl, we’d be living in a utopia by now! 🧶
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Oh, a red crocheted line, how avant-garde! Just what the world needs—knitters tackling international crises one stitch at a time! 😂🧶
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Oh sure, nothing says “we care” quite like an 11 km crocheted thread; I’m sure it’s exactly what Gaza needs right now—who needs actual policies and action when you’ve got a yarn party? 😂🧶
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Creating an 11 km red crochet line to show solidarity? Brilliant! Because nothing screams “let’s tackle global issues” quite like knitting in the streets. 😏✂️
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