Brussels attacks: Belgians open their doors to those affected by explosions with IkWilHelpen hashtag
The trend follows the #PorteOuverte invitations that spread across social media in the wake of the Paris shootings
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Your support makes all the difference.Hundreds of Belgians are opening their doors to people across Europe who are being affected by the terror attacks in Brussels.
Much of Belgium has gone into lockdown after attacks on the Brussels airport and Metro system, which have left the city in crisis and public transport systems shut down.
People are tweeting with the words #IkWilHelpen, or I will help, offering people access to their homes or somewhere to stay, and lifts around the affected areas. Many are also using #PorteOuverte, a hashtag that means open door and spread across the internet in the wake of the Paris attacks.
After those attacks in November, many people used the hashtag to offer shelter, support or other help in the wake of the shootings. Just as is now happening in Brussels and across Belgium and Europe, the city went into lockdown in the wake of the attacks and many people were unable to get home.
Hundreds are tweeting the hashtag with offers of help. That includes people from across Belgium, offering support to people who might be unable to get transport because of a shutdown of most major public transit systems.
Most of the tweets are offers of car rides to those who are unable to make it. That includes people who are travelling elsewhere in Belgium or nearby countries from near the airport, looking to help people who would otherwise have flown from the now completely closed airport.
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