Explosions at Brussels Airport and Metro

Its truly dreadful I have a young friend whose family all live in Brussels I don't want to bother her as I'm sure she doesn't need me phoning her at such a worrying time so I've left her a FB message hoping all is well..

The footage he took did not contain any scenes of injured people. The children were crying not screaming.
I would rather be shown footage which was important to us here in Brussels taken by a professional.
What has happened here today is happening around us, and perhaps we are not really bothered what people overseas think at the moment.
You should complain to the BBC.
All of us in the middle of it want to know what is going on.

It is coming close to rush hour again and although public transport is cancelled, people are still going to be coming home from work with streets being busier than usual with pedestrians.
Much more of a concern to people here than the BBC.

The Herald Of Free Enterprise disastor is still well remembered here in Belguim.

felice I didn't say your friend's footage showed injured people, but we have still seen scenes of injured people receiving medical attention. You may know the screaming was children crying, but how are all the other viewers supposed to know?

It's your choice about what you want to see and I might well complain to the BBC. The BBC is the British Broadcasting Corporation, not a Belgian broadcaster. I have no problem with graphic news coverage at the appropriate time of day and for me that does not include during the day, especially when it's school holidays. I mentioned the Herald Of Free Enterprise disaster because it happened in Belgium.

I understand how dreadful this is for you and your family (my brother was involved in the London 7/7 bombings, but not badly injured), so please don't think I'm trying to upset you. Perhaps I am out of touch with what is and is not acceptable.

What a dreadful situation this is for everybody, even those not directly involved, and once again the Ambulance workers,hospitals and Police Force are being called upon to carry out work which must be horrendous. A worry time for everyone with friends and relations in Belgium, our thoughts must be with them all.

My thoughts are obviously with those who have lost their lives and injured in both the attacks on the Zaventem Airport and the Maalbeek Metro and their families. Also sympathy to the population of Belgium .

Devastating news and our vulnerability in all countries is terrifying.

The European Parliament must focus on terrorism having seen this utter carnage first hand , no doubt concerned for their MEP's.

Reports say IS /Daesh has said it is responsible .

Wilma

I do not want to be arguementative but I do not agree with you. Our news coverage is too sanitised already .

Just because something is unpalatable for our eyes does not mean we should avert our eyes from the truth or horrors of what happens. Time of day , who is viewing the news cannot be taken into account on current 24/7 news channels .

I agree with Wilma up to a point, but think felice has bigger concerns right now.

Thank you for your posts.

Wilma the footage was shown on Begian channels beacause it was important at the time here. If the BBC picks it up thats is not our problem.
It is not school holidays all over the UK and anyway if you do not like it switch off.
I am sorry i am getting upset as SIL is due to leave work now and many friends are also.
All we have heard all day are sirens and helicopters, we are very near the Large Law courts, no telephones are working.

Hope you and your loved ones stay safe, Felice

It isn't necessarily the news reporters' footage I dislike-they are there to do a job after all. It is the photographs of individuals with injuries shown very soon after the event that shocked me. I wonder who on earth stopped to take these photographs? Why didn't they either see if they could help or just get out of the way? Why were they shown? We knew there would be dreadful injuries we didn't need to see them and there might have been people watching who would have seen their loved ones in a dreadful state and be able to do nothing. By showing such things the news stations encourage people to stop and take such intrusive pictures.

I'm afraid the genie is out of the bottle as far as news coverage is concerned these days.

You cannot sanitise the dreadful events that are taking place in our midst and as everybody has access to a camera and the internet there are going to be scenes that some will find upsetting.

The BBC and other news channels are there to inform and we DO need to know what is happening.

There is an off switch for those who find certain scenes too distressing to watch but the last thing we need is any form of censorship.

I did turn it off but just thought it would be dreadful to see someone you knew. I think it would be possible to only present professional coverage and never photographs of individuals which really do not add anything to our knowledge but can only be described as voyeurism.

To wot and harrigran.
Thank God that your loved ones are okay. I never thought that when I joined this site a few days ago, that I would be 'talking' to people whose dear families would be going through such horror !!!
My heart goes out to you completely and utterly.

To wot and harrigran.
Thank God that your loved ones are okay. I never thought that when I joined this site a few days ago, that I would be 'talking' to people whose dear families would be going through such horror !!!
My heart goes out to you Completely and Utterly.

thanks, cookie! Such a relief!

Perhaps I should start another thread. The problem with the news footage is the continuing 24 hour coverage on all channels.

I refuse to watch these channels. Listen or watch the main bulletins but stop watching the same dreadful images over and over again for everyone's sake.

Felice. Thoughts very much with you. It must be terrible to actually be there and I think we are lucky here that we only have to see a few graphic images. I do hope the children are not too traumatised, and indeed you and the rest of your family. Please keep in touch,

Felice thoughts with you and all of you who have friends and relatives there.

Just so pleased to hear anyone on here directly involved with relatives and loved ones have heard they're ok. I had an e-mail from our work travel agent at 8am to say there had been 2 explosions at the airport and am ashamed to say didn't think any more about it as I just assumed it was an accident. I was horrified when I realised it was a terrorist attack. I hope they all stay safe now.

Yet another hideous and brutal assault on ordinary people going about their daily lives. It is just awful. I hope that ths on GN who may have friends and family in Brussels all have positive news soon.

Just came downstairs from DDs', one of her closest friends, since primary school was killed in the Metro bombing.
We are close to the family and are just devastated.

SIL still not home from work as all his early delivery drivers in Brussels were delayed and French and Dutch deliveries also.

Want to go to bed but know i will just lie there, an old Midsomer Murders for a while perhaps, this certainly puts my accident of last week into perspective.

Oh Felice, how awful for you all and your DD especially. No words really.
Can only imagine the chaos in the city, but hope SIL gets back soon. DD needs him. Hope you get some sleep.

Thank you Belladonna, no chaos really just a sort of numb shock, people just going quietly about their business.
Not giving in I suppose, Belguim has a stoic history.

I have spoken to DD on Skype tonight and it was a great relief to actually see her. She is pragmatic and very capable on her own but I think tonight she needed to see and talk to family.
Sorry to hear about your DD's friend felice