Belgian police arrested 150 people involved in acts of vandalism this Sunday evening in Brussels, at the end of a rally against racism and police violence in which almost 10,000 people participated.
“After the rally, troublemakers and delinquents deliberately provoked the police and degraded the street furniture. They then attacked stores to rob them like vulgar thieves, "deplored the mayor Philippe Close, who wishes" that justice can condemn them severely ".
Water pumps used
The elected official had decided to tolerate a rally of the "Black Lives Matter" movement against the advice of Prime Minister Sophie Wilmes, for a tribute to the American George Floyd, a black man killed by a white police officer during his arrest in Minneapolis (United States). While acknowledging that "the cause is just", Sophie Wilmes had opposed a rally for fear that the safety instructions imposed to combat the spread of the coronavirus were not observed.
The violence started near the Place du Palais de Justice where the rally was organized. The clashes with the police occurred in a shopping street in Matonge, the most important shopping and associative district in Africa. Several people were injured during the scuffles, an AFP photographer found, while trucks equipped with a water pump were used to repel the rioters and put out trash fires.
The mayor promises compensation
"We have nothing to do with these actions," said Taiyno Cherubin, a member of the rally organizing committee. "We had a message of peace, our gathering was peaceful," he insisted.
For his part, the mayor of Brussels has announced his intention to compensate traders whose shops have suffered damage. "Like the biggest European capitals like Paris, London, Madrid, Rome, Brussels, capital of 400 million Europeans, could not remain deaf to the global emotion aroused by the death of George Floyd", it forbidden. "The 10,000 people present, almost all of whom wore masks, demonstrated that they could express themselves calmly and respect sanitary rules as much as possible," he said.
By the Web
Belgium: Investigation opened after video showing two police officers handcuffing children
Society
Police violence: "We are here for George, Adama, Lamine, Amadou ... and to denounce institutional racism"
- Police violence
- Violence
- Racism
- Demonstration
- Belgium
- Brussels
- World