REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BRUSSELS -- Up to 20,000 people demonstrated in the Belgian capital Sunday in support of refugees, demanding they be welcomed and treated properly.

The organisers, a collection of local and international rights groups, said there were "20,000 people in Brussels to say welcome to refugees."

"Thanks for this fantastic effort," the 'Citizens Platform for support of refugees in Brussels' said on Facebook.

"Standing behind us are all the European citizens who are working to help the refugees," Elodie Francart of the Citizens' Platform group was quoted as saying by the Belga news agency.