This is what the internet was made for.

Brussels was under strict lockdown Sunday, with active police operations underway in the city. The ops were connected to what Belgian authorities termed a "serious and imminent" threat stemming from the horrific ISIS-inspired attacks on Paris, which killed 130.

Belgian authorities instituted strict rules that asked residents to stay indoors and made an additional request that Brussels residents not post anything about police movements on social media. As BNONews reported:

"For safety, please observe radio silence on social media regarding the ongoing police operations in Brussels," police said in a tweet. The interior ministry's CrisisCenter, apparently referring to the ongoing operations, said in a separate tweet: "We ask everyone to stay calm and to follow strictly the instructions of the police."

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The people of Brussels complied in a funny way, injecting a note of perhaps grim humor into a situation that has otherwise been as far from funny as it gets. Using the hashtag #Brusselslockdown, Belgians revved up the time-honored tradition of posting funny animal photos.

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Belgium will maintain it's top-level alert as police continue searching for more jihadis like the still at-large Salah Abdeslam, reported BNO. In a breaking news report Sunday evening, CNN stated that there were ongoing raids throughout the country. In the meantime, retail establishments, schools, and banks are among the establishments that will remain closed.

Let's give it up to the Belgians and their cat pics, though—laughing in the face of terror is an awesomely ballsy move any day, worthy of respect.

Photos by Yves Alexandre / Twitter