With a lockdown limiting their options, people turned to an internet staple: feline photos
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| The photos Belgians used to comment on the lockdown in Brussels occasionally mention Belgian surrealism, an art movement with which the country has a rich history. (womfleming/Twitter Jaycelight/Twitter) |
As Brussels residents enter their third day under lockdown, Belgian police have asked them not to tweet about any police action they see in the streets or near their homes.
Police are asking the public not to report their movements on social media, please support & rt #BrusselsLockdown
— Steven Vandeput (@svandeput) November 22, 2015
But with the subway and schools closed, it limits people's options on things they can tweet. So the internet settled on what it knows best: cat photos. People flooded #BrusselsLockdown hashtag with cats following the rules, cats getting a little in over their heads or cats just being commonly cute felines.
Post cat pics, not police movements #BrusselsLockdown #BelgianSurrealism pic.twitter.com/GYfzY65Qof
— Yves-Alexandre (@yvesalexandre) November 22, 2015
Post cat pics, not police movements #BrusselsLockdown #BelgianSurrealism pic.twitter.com/GYfzY65Qof
— Yves-Alexandre (@yvesalexandre) November 22, 2015
Many of the photos were in solidarity of the raids from those experiencing the lockdown first-hand.
We must not let fear win…
#BrusselsLockDown pic.twitter.com/GAr5YGpkGz
— Maiol Sanaüja (@maiolsanauja) November 23, 2015
Peace & humor are signs of true strength. Guns & violence are signs of true weakness. #BrusselsLockdown #lolcats pic.twitter.com/aFTESxcsrl
— Kellie Nichols (@keljnic) November 23, 2015
Residents told to stay away from windows. Not sure they got the message #BrusselsLockdown pic.twitter.com/kv3Mosk5mZ
— Matteo Albania (@m_albania) November 22, 2015
Stay inside they said. #BrusselsLockdown pic.twitter.com/hpAfV417Hf
— Julia Reda (@Senficon) November 22, 2015
The photos occasionally mention Belgian surrealism, an art movement with which the country has a rich history. Belgian artist René Magritte painted The Trechery of Images — a smoking pipe with the words "This is not a pipe" in French.
Still, maybe some of these cats got in over their heads.
Major police operation underway in #BrusselsLockdown pic.twitter.com/DUZwfi0lOO
— Harry Boone (@towersight) November 22, 2015
BREAKING: Belgian police have released a photograph of the main supect #BrusselsLockdown pic.twitter.com/8FDAjZglZn
— Jeroen Flamman (@jflamman) November 22, 2015
#BrusselsLockdown - because we can't hear your terrorism over the sound of our kittehs pic.twitter.com/c0F2y9PlMz
— Helen Ingram (@drhingram) November 22, 2015
A contingent of the cats had seemingly joined up with an empire from a galaxy far, far away.
May the force be with us. #BrusselsLockdown pic.twitter.com/m9OuEVhfXS
— TineEeckhout (@TineEeckhout) November 22, 2015
BREAKING NEWS : Belgium Police using the new 200mph Hovercat during terrorist operations #BrusselsLockdown pic.twitter.com/MnIpiOZT3x
— Jayce le Satirique (@jaycelight) November 22, 2015
Belgian Special Forces cats on operation earlier today #BrusselsLockdown pic.twitter.com/Ct16qobl4A
— Andy Gilder (@AndyGilder) November 22, 2015
Cats taking over from police in #BrusselsLockdown operations. Never doubt Belgian surrealism. #BrusselsAlert pic.twitter.com/bphlqU79Lg
— Daniel Neale Llaguno (@daneallaguno) November 22, 2015
Over the weekend, authorities arrested 21 people after police ran 19 raids. As the raids continue into today, the Canadian government said its embassy will be closed until further notice. The police and troops remain on the streets of the Belgian capital in search of one or more suspected extremists, including Salah Abdeslam, who has been named a suspect in the Paris attacks.
So people and cats for the most part have been trying to relax.
In the mean time in Belgium .. #BrusselsLockdown pic.twitter.com/G6nEvli3o8
— ElisabettaCanalis (@JustElisabetta) November 23, 2015
(Unless they're dog people.)
I'm more a dog person. #rememberdiesel #BrusselsLockdown pic.twitter.com/f310nBoO6M
— Jouls (@Jouls) November 22, 2015
And show a little support for the country in which they reside and the surrealism that inspired them.
Belgian surrealism at its best. People posting cats on twitter to confuse the terrorists. #BrusselsLockdown pic.twitter.com/KuNZBmUGuK
— Wom (@womfleming) November 23, 2015
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