Flanders: 'I am a separatist, not a skinhead' (9 photos)
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A Brussels-based Argentinian photographer's insight into the xenophobic propaganda of Flanders’ separatist party Vlaams Belang. For Europe Day on 9 May you can catch his images at the exhibition-debate 'images of the far right in Europe' in Paris
Jean Simons wears a T-shirt that reads Belgie barst in Flemish - 'Belgium bursts'. The 58-year-old, who is from the Flemish province of Limburg, is just one of many separatist demonstrators during the nationalist meeting, 'Yzerwake' (Image: ©Ezequiel Scagnetti)
10 September 2006. Antwerp, Belgium. Erik Beyserkesk, 30, is a Flemish separatist who supports the far-right political party Vlaams Belang. 'I am a separatist,' he tells us, 'not a skinhead.' The political party was formed in 2004 by the leaders and members of the now-defunct Vlaams Blok (Flemish bloc, VB), which was condemned by the Belgian high court for its permanent incitation to discrimination and racism in November 2004 (Image: ©Ezequiel Scagnetti)
The fifth Yzerwake was held at the Brothers Van Raemdonck (Gebroeders van Raemdonck) monument in the village of Steenstrate, near Ypres/ Ieper. The radical Flemish minded organisation 'vzw IJzerwake' runs this event to remember the soldiers who died in the frontline of the first world war. They also strive for an independent republic of Flanders in stead of the kingdom of Belgium (Image: ©Ezequiel Scagnetti)
3 October 2005. Brussels. Members of the Flemish nationalist party Vlaams Belang demonstrate in front of the EU institutions against the beginning of the negotiations between Europe and Turkey (Image: ©Ezequiel Scagnetti)
20 August 2006. Steenstrate, Belgium. Dieter Leemans is another separatist demonstrator during the Yzerwake. The 26-year-old is a member of de NSV organisation, the students' version of Belgian's biggest fascist party (Image: ©Ezequiel Scagnetti)
27 August 2006. The city of Diksmuide in west Flanders, Belgium. A non-identified imitator who made Belgian Prince Philippe look ridiculous during the IJzerbedevaart ('pilgrimage of the Yser') meeting, which is an annual gathering of Flemings at the IJzertoren (Yser Tower) memorial in Diksmuide. This pilgrimage honours the Flemish soldiers who died during world war one and was first organised in 1920. It is also a political meeting striving for Flemish political autonomy: 'peace, freedom and tolerance' (Image: ©Ezequiel Scagnetti)
3 October, 2005. Brussels. Vlaams Belang leader Filip Dewinter, 47 (Image: ©Ezequiel Scagnetti)
20 August 2006. Steenstrate, Belgium. Demonstrators during the [Flemish nationalist meeting] Yzerwake (Image: ©Ezequiel Scagnetti)
Where? At the Médiathèque de la Cité Nationale de l’histoire de l’Immigration (CNHI), 293 avenue Daumesnil, 75012. When? Until 9 May 2010. What? Exhibition followed by debates: 'The question of the far right in Europe', 4 May from 18 - 19:30, 'The new populism', 5 May 17:30 - 19:30 (Image: ©Ezequiel Scagnetti)