Thousands protest against Belgian nuclear reactors

BERLIN – Thousands of protesters are demanding that Belgium immediately shut down two nuclear reactors because of safety concerns.

German news agency dpa reported that people from Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands formed a human chain across the border triangle of the three countries on Sunday.

Protesters are concerned over the safety of the pressure vessels at the Tihange 2 and Doel 3 reactors in Belgium.

Germany, which plans to switch off all of its nuclear reactors by 2022, is sensitive to concerns about nuclear plants outside of the country.

German Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks urged Belgium last year to take the two reactors offline “until open safety questions are cleared up.”

Berlin also has called on France to shut down its oldest plant, at Fessenheim on the German border.