As announced by the National Crisis Center, about two hundred police officers – a collaboration between the various local, regional and federal services – have tackled the nuisance in the area around the South Station in Brussels. So far, 65 people have been arrested. This is reported by Sarah Frederickx, spokesperson for the local police of Brussels-South. The police action is part of the measures to improve the quality of life in the vicinity of the station.
TTR, Steven Swinnen
Latest update:
14:58
Source:
Belgium, own info
Homeless people and sans-papiers on Victor Hortaplein were checked today. Those who did not want to leave – and there were dozens of them – were arrested and led away in handcuffs. A gang of thieves also ran into the lamp, according to Sarah Frederickx, spokeswoman for the South police zone. “They clearly had not read the newspaper, because we have made no secret of this assignment. The aim is to show that we will tackle the situation around the South Station in a coordinated manner and hope that this will have a dissuasive effect. We are going to take a kind of picture of the situation today with this action and then we will see in the following days and weeks what is needed to restore order here in a sustainable way.” In the meantime, 65 people have been arrested. It mainly concerns illegal immigrants.
Together with the police, the Brussels cleaning services were also on site en masse. “Now it smells like citrus here because of the cleaning products. That was often different in recent times.”
Nuisance
Yesterday Prime Minister Alexander De Croo (Open Vld) and Minister Verlinden announced that they will take steps to increase security in the station. Stories about drug use and nuisance in the area have been doing the rounds for quite some time. In the last quarter of last year, 2,200 criminal offenses were registered at Brussels South Station, according to figures. There is an unsafe feeling among travelers and local residents, who have already sounded the alarm.
“In order to solve the problem in Brussels-South, we need targeted and coordinated actions. Cooperation is needed between the federal and local police, but also with the railway police,” said Verlinden on Radio 1 this morning. Minister Verlinden will visit South Station on Saturday around 2.45 p.m. to encourage the police officers.
The action, which started at 10 a.m., will continue into the evening. There will be no similar large-scale action tomorrow, but the local police will continue to patrol the area around the station with increased attention, as was already customary.
Read also: Crisis center takes charge of tackling insecurity in Brussels South (+)
Complex structure of Brussels
Part of the problem in Brussels South may be the complex structure of Brussels. “Due to an overlap of powers or holes in the net, the big solution does not emerge at all. I assume that people with a responsibility also try to contribute to the solution. But Brussels has a very complex structure with a fragmentation of powers. There are many partners,” Verlinden said earlier.
LOOK. Federal government cleans up Brussels South
INTERVIEW. Mayor of Brussels Philippe Close about drug problems in the capital: “Whoever thinks that only more police will solve this, is mistaken” (+)
OUR OPINION. “Brussels counts 1,000 politicians. But it’s too quiet. You hear a train rushing by in Brussels South” (+)
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