Brussels: Police attacked

Anderlecht has a large Muslim and immigrant population. Though the identity of the people involved in these incidents had not been published, many of the commentators on this story assume they are immigrants.

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Two police cars were shot at with air-guns in the center of the Brussels suburb of Anderlecht Thursday evening. Later reports speak of stones being thrown. The police cars had just passed a group of about a dozen youth. When the police agents stepped out of the cars, they were surrounded by the youth who attacked them and pushed them down. The police managed to arrest two of the attackers. One of them had pepper spray on him and both were previously arrested for theft and violence.

Later that same evening five other youth showed up at the police station and demanded that their friends be freed. The acted arrogantly and one of them (21) attacked a police agent. He was also arrested and all three were brought over to the Brussels court.

Due to incidents with youth that evening, one bus line did not go through the neighborhood.

The court decided to free all three, bringing criticism from the Anderlecht mayor, Gaƫtan Van Goidsenhoven, and the police unions.

The court refused to comment on their decision.

Source: HLN 1, 2, 3 (Dutch)


Update


According to Flemish newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws, the Brussels police doesn't dare show itself in certain parts of Anderlecht, the Brussels neighborhood next to the Brussels-South station, due to the increasing aggression of immigrant youth.

The paper has spoken with several agents anonymously, who admitted that more and more often patrols weren't being carried out. Recently agents were shot in action with sixteen bullets. One agent said that driving around there was just like Beirut.

Source: Telegraaf (Dutch)

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