Some were wrapped in EU flags, others clutched candles. They were there to mourn Brexit.
Brussels-based Britons were among those mourning Brexit at a small gathering in the Belgian capital on Friday.
Wrapped in European Union flags and holding candles, they gathered outside the European Parliament building.
It came as officials began removing the Union Jack flag from EU institutions.
As the clock counted down to midnight CET — and with it Brexit — they sang Auld Lang Syne, a farewell lament also used by MEPs this week.
Europe is home to about 1.3 million Britons and many of them were also in mourning. Their futures are uncertain. The EU and the UK now begin a period of negotiation, not just over trade, but whether such things as free healthcare will still be available and what exactly their immigration status will be.