A Belgian radio station has provoked backlash after openly destroying Christian symbols while saying it would not do the same with Islamic ones.
Studio Brussel’s hosts Sam De Bruyn, Eva De Roo and Dries Lenaerts controversially smashed statues of Jesus and Mary in what they called a “rage room” on January 19. The act of sacrilege was intended to mark what is commonly said to be the most depressing day of the year, “Blue Monday”. The presenters filmed themselves “beating the blue out of the Monday”, using a sledgehammer to destroy statues of Jesus and Mary.
The event came to public attention after the presenters were interviewed by Catholic journalist Colm Flynn at the Radiodays Europe conference in Riga, Latvia.
When Flynn mentioned the smashing of Jesus, one of the presenters reacted by laughing and saying: “I think it might offend people, but I think in Belgium not really, we are not a very religious country… I would have been more careful in another country, but in Belgium it is not a big issue.”
Flynn then asked the presenters whether they would smash an image of Muhammad, which prompted a much more sober reaction. “That is a very dangerous question,” one said, while another added: “No, no, that would be inappropriate.”
Flynn then asked whether they would do the same with a symbol of Judaism, which they unanimously agreed they would not.
Towards the end of the interview, the presenters appeared to recognise the incongruous nature of their comments and apologised, explaining that if anyone had taken offence they would have wanted to hear their viewpoint and acknowledge any offence caused.
Belgium was once one of the great Christian civilisations of Europe and was renowned for its Catholics, such as the priest and early proponent of the Big Bang theory, Georges Lemaître, and the humanitarian St Damien of Molokai, who devoted his life to caring for those with leprosy. In 1990 the Belgian king, King Baudouin, stepped aside for a day rather than signing a law permitting abortion.
However, the country has seen what may be the continent’s most rapid secularisation. Almost 60 per cent of Belgium now identifies as religiously unaffiliated, while just 31 per cent identifies as Catholic. This has led the country to adopt some of the most controversial laws in Europe. In 2002 Belgium legalised euthanasia, becoming only the second country to do so since Nazi Germany. The law permits the practice for those suffering from mental illness, with the most common conditions being depression, personality disorder and Asperger’s. In 2014, the law was extended to include children of any age.
Studio Brussel is owned by VRT, a state-funded Dutch-speaking broadcaster, and describes itself as “alternative”, aiming at a younger audience. However, its listenership has declined in recent years, and in 2024 it was described as “the big loser” in the Belgian ratings cycle.
Responding to the controversy, the station apologised:
“Studio Brussel misjudged the ‘Blue Monday’ sketch. Eva and Dries apologise.
“The video was intended as a humorous act, and they underestimated how sensitive religious symbols can be. They understand that this was hurtful to some people and would make different choices today.
“VRT considers it important that all its employees show respect for every religion. Our aim is not to compare religions, but to treat everyone’s beliefs with care.”
