Belgium: Brussels Erupts in Riots

Breaking: Apparently, this riot in Brussels is still on-going.

On Saturday evening, a 23-year-old year man was arrested after he fled from police during a police stop on a gathering in violation of Covid regulations. The man, identified as Ibrahima B., reportedly collapsed at the police station and later died at the hospital.

This afternoon in Brussels, a demonstration at the police station deteriorated into a riot. The below article from the Flemish (Dutch)- language newspaper, De Morgen, is translated by Fousesquawk. We are currently working on providing sub-titles to one of the videos found in the above link.

 https://www.demorgen.be/nieuws/oproer-na-manifestatie-voor-overleden-arrestant-betogers-gooien-met-stenen-waterkanon-ingezet~b0a102ce/

Riot after a demonstration for deceased arrestee: Protesters throw stones,  water cannon deployed

More than 500 demonstrators gathered this afternoon at the police headquarters where 23-year-old Ibrahima B, died Saturday after his arrest. The young man was earlier arrested in the area of the Brussels-North station. At first, the protest was peaceful, but around 4 pm, the atmosphere became worse. Protesters threw stones and set fires; riot police are at the scene en masse and have deployed a water cannon.

- Editorial Office and Belga, 13 January 7:07 pm

More than 500 people gathered to demonstrate at the police headquarters, although only 100 people were allowed to gather. Just about 100 people were stopped by police before the beginning of the demonstration. About 400 demonstrators are reported to have gathered at police headquarters on the Brabant Street.

Friends, family members, and sympathizers of the (23-year-old) wanted to ask for clarity over his death. Around 4 pm, the atmosphere worsened. Stones and fireworks were thrown at the police, and demonstrators shouted, “Police, murderers“. In the tumult, a window of a police car was destroyed. Here and there, small fires were set.

Several rioters moved about in a cat and mouse game with police to the Liedtsplein (square) in Schaarbeek. They smashed windows of a police post and set fire to the office, according to Het Laatse Nieuws (news outlet). The atmosphere is still very turbulent, and riot police are at the scene en masse.

The riot police are massively present in the area of the North Station.  The water cannon has been used several times against the demonstrators. Officers initially tried to send the demonstrators home, but the calls received little response. The organizers of the demonstration also unsuccessfully did everything they could to calm things down. One youth of 17 was taken injured to the hospital. According to witnesses, he was hit by police with a  nightstick, reported Het Laatste Nieuws. According to Belga, one person was injured after a fall. At the moment, nothing has been communicated by the police as to arrests.

King Philipp

Noteworthy: Close by the riot, was the car of King Philipp, recognizable by the license plate “1″. A police source confirmed to Het Laatste Nieuws that the prince was in the car. The car was protected by the police and was not pelted by protesters. According to the press agency, EPA, the vehicle of King Philipp was en route from his workplace in Brussels to Laken Castle.

“Crucial Moments”

The 23-year-old Ibrahima B. was arrested Saturday evening about 7 pm at the North Station. According to the prosecutor’s office, police there stopped a group of people who had gathered and thus, were not following the Corona regulations. Ibrahima reportedly ran and was arrested after a chase. The young man was subsequently brought to police headquarters on Brabant Street, where he reportedly collapsed. The police reportedly called an ambulance, which took the young man to the hospital. There, Ibrahima reportedly died around 8:20 pm.

According to the family’s lawyer, the police reportedly let the young man lay on the ground for 5 minutes, writes Bruzz. “The several minutes without care are crucial moments in which Ibrahima’s life could have been saved. The officers let him die,” says attorney Alexis Deswaef. “That is unacceptable. Unfortunately, we see that is no exception in Brussels.”

“The family of the deceased young man and their counselor met this morning with the King’s Prosecutor to get answers to a number of their questions,” says the prosecutor’s spokesperson, “and to (be assured) that all means have been and will be utilized to provide clarity over what occurred.”

The investigation into the death is in the hands of the Investigation Service of Committee P. Meanwhile, Standing Committee P has opened an investigation but limited to the course of the notification of the family of the victim. They were only informed hours after the facts and reportedly received conflicting explanations.

“The Standing Committee P came to this decision on the basis of what appeared about this in the media,” says spokesperson Nancy Van Barel. “Should elements emerge in the course of this criminal investigation that suggest one or another non-unlawful shortcoming, the  Standing Committee P will also investigate this further.”

This report is supplemented with the latest developments.