The trouble with this is that if I don't like someone's planned protest I can just stir up some trouble around it and effectively prevent it from happening. Especially in this case where, at least from Kevin's information, no specific threats have been made I think police and local authorities have a responsibility to bring in more law enforcement to ensure that the protest goes ahead without the violence they are concerned about. If there was a specific, credible threat to cause loss of life I would argue differently.
Besides, keyboard specialists on democracy forgot that by law mayor is responsible for safety of an approved demonstration. Brugelette is a small village without much police force. Most of organizing organizations have no experience in policing big demonstrations and claim to be very poor, so cannot pay for eventual damage. If the demonstration would break into violence, the major (and his town) would be responsible for injuries and damage. Possibly accused by the same keyboard warriors.
And what will you say when the mayor (or other elected official) of Barcalona bans pro-zoo activists from demonstrating against the planned changes there? Will you also applaud the decision in the name of public safety?
I live in a country where public protest is broadly impossible, where the expression of beliefs that go against the party line is detrimental to one's continued participation in society, and where the ability to effect change to that party line is incredibly limited.
Frankly it is both disheartening and not a little farcical to see zoofans throw away the principle of freedom of speech in such a shortsighted way.
I continue to have conflicted feelings on this, but the point made by FunkyGibbon is very strong.
On the one side I still don't want to totally condemn the major and I still think his decision was in fact defensible if there were serious reasons to believe that public or safety might be endangered by fights or damage occuring, or if for example activists were to intend to block roads. I also agree with the point made by Jurek that for a small town it might be difficult to control things if they were to get out of hand, and I believe that is a legitimate concern, though potentially manageable.
Belgian law allows a major to impose restrictions on organizers of protests or even to ban protests entirely only for reasons of public order and safety, and regardless of who is asking for a permission to protest - unless the group protesting is, say a proven criminal organization of one that clearly intends to threaten safety. So the major is basically not allowed to make a distinction between pro-zoo and animal rights groups, unless say the Animal Liberation Front were to be openly involved. The law is actually rightfully quite restrictive to ensure freedom of speech and the legal right to protest. There have to be serious reasons for a ban or restrictions.
We do not however know the details about exactly what was said on social media that the decision was apparently based on. I mean, it would make some difference if it was "You're a bunch of idiots" versus "You're idiots and we're going to punch you in the face", wouldn't it?. For all we know the talk on "social" media was just more of the same vile crap that has become pretty much the norm on the cesspool of civilization that the antisocial media have lamentably become. It might not be easy always to make a distinction these days between simple insults and threats, but I do hope they gave careful consideration to the content of what was said and didn't simply panic and overestimate the chance of riots ensuing. Without knowing all the details we cannot really fully judge the reasoning behind the major's decision. I'm still giving him the benefit of the doubt though.
As much as I passionately despise animal rights activists and their lunatic views, they still in a democratic society have a right to express and promote these views as long as they don't engage in violence, property damage or other criminal tactics. Admittedly one could questuon whether these animal rights group are actually democratic, and obviously some of them actually do use illegal methods, and I believe stronger action is needed against those factions, but to my understanding the activists intended only a peaceful, non-obstructive protest against the polar bear exhibit at Pairi Daiza, which would be legal and legally protected. We have to concede that many animal rights activists are merely irritating rather than violent and that these people are probably not a high-risk group for riots like, say, the yellow vests movements.
Also, keep in mind that this kind of thing happening will only strengthen the animal rights lunatics in their views and in their absolutist belief of being right. I did read an article that mentioned a response by the leader of one of the groups involved and he stated that he felt the decision was anti-democratic and they were being silenced. I have also seen some comments by animal rights people accusing Pairi Daiza of lobbying or even paying the major to ban the protests (which would be highly questionable or even plain illegal). So presumably these activists are now only more angry at Pairi Daiza. So banning protests might hurt Pairi Daiza and other zoos even more in the long run.
However much I really don't want anti-zoo protests anywhere, I believe that if they happen in the future - and they likely will, the animal groups have the legal right to again apply for a permit to protest - what should be done is to impose tight restrictions on the protests and for the appropriate services to be watchful in order to avoid these protests from getting out of hand. If these protests happen in an orderly and legal way, we unfortunately will have to tolerate them lest we want to live in a totalitarian society - and I certainly do not. No, I do not think we should welcome such decisions unless there are very good and totally clear reasons to do so. I don't think zoos will be helped by banning protests. And if we wish to combat the animal rights ideology, I do not believe this is the right way to do so either.
Lastly, I am sorry to have perhaps derailed the topic with this discussion. I did however believe the news to be relevant to this forum.
Congrats for your good work Mr. Major, and for the rest of majors of the world, please take example! 
