Thousands of guests, including diplomats, politicians and military personnel, attended an event organised by the US Embassy to Belgium in Brussels on Sunday to celebrate the 250th anniversary of US independence.
“The US Embassy in Belgium will host an invitation-only celebration to celebrate this historic milestone: 250 Years of Independence: Building Our Future Together.
The lavish celebration took place at Parc du Cinquantenaire, an iconic park in the Belgian capital near the European Union institutions. Guests tried their hand at baseball, rode a mechanical bull and participated in a linedance.
The festivities also featured music, performances, a ceremonial flyover and will conclude with a drone and firework show.
US Ambassador to Belgium Bill White opened the ceremony. Among those attending were Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and European Parliament president Roberta Metsola.
In a post on X, Metsola honoured 250 years of the transatlantic partnership that has weathered both triumphs and challenges alike.
Many US military personnel based in the Belgian capital were also in attendance.
Asked about funding, the US ambassador said he had raised more than five million dollars from over 220 donors, Belgian media report.
Both American and Belgian companies, as well as private individuals contributed, according to White. Sponsors include American multinationals such as Meta, Microsoft, Nike and McDonald’s, alongside Belgian names such as Leonidas, Port of Antwerp-Bruges, Sabena, Van Moer Logistics and Sibelco.
Criticism: the privatisation of a public space
The event, however, drew widespread criticism from local residents and numerous organisations.
On Sunday morning, Greenpeace unrolled a massive banner in the historic Grand Place square in the Belgian capital.
“The 600-square-metre banner read ‘War. Greed. Energy Crisis. What’s there to celebrate?‘ condemning using the occasion to promote Trump’s political and corporate agenda,” Greenpeace wrote in a statement.
“The celebration in Brussels takes place against a backdrop of intensifying global instability driven by the White House,” the statement added.
Outside of the security perimetre of the park, several activist groups, including Extinction Rebellion, Indivisible Belgium and Rise for Climate denounced the event, protesting against the privatisation of the public park.
Local residents also expressed their discontent, unhappy with the lack of communication surrounding the event, but also with the multi-day closure of one of the city’s largest public parks amid an ongoing heatwave that has swept across Europe the past week.