Belgium lifted several COVID-19 restrictions on Wednesday, allowing cinemas, theatres and concert halls to operate.
The move was a victory for the cultural industry, which had complained that the restrictions were unfairly targeting it.
The Belgian government and regional governments were under increasing pressure to reverse last week’s shutdown decision, which was not endorsed by scientific experts. It underlined a deepening chasm between authorities seeking to stave off the pandemic with spur-of-the-moment decisions and the citizens becoming unhappy with restrictions on their personal liberties.
Interior Minister Annelies Verlinden remarked, ‘We heeded the plea of the cultural industry.’ There was jubilation in the cinema theatres
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