After two girls, Laetitia Delhez and Sabine Darne, who had been kidnapped by the Dutroux gang in mid-August of that year, were narrowly rescued from the basement of Dutroux’s house, the violent realization came that Dutroux was also responsible for the kidnapping of four other girls and before the death of his accomplice Bernard Weinstein. Julie Lejeune, Mélissa Russo, An Marchal and Eefje Lambrecks were found dead.

The march, which started at 2 pm on Sunday 20 October 1996 at the North Station, was organized at the request of Marie-Noëlle Bouzet, the mother of the missing girl Elisabeth Brichet. In an interview on September 20, she called for a large demonstration in Brussels. The intention, not expressed in so many words, was that the population could use this march to express its anger and violence at the detested ‘Spaghetti arrest’ that the Court of Cassation had issued a week earlier. The arrest has found investigating judge Jean-Marc Connerotte of the investigation, because he had aroused one of partiality by going to a benefit of the non-profit organization Marc et Corinne, where parents of missing children were also present.

‘We want this march without banners and without political slogans. White will be our, the symbol of our designed and murdered children, of the betrayed innocence, but also of non-violence. Join us with a white flower or a white balloon as a sign of recognition. We want this march to be a peaceful demonstration of the people, in line with our solidarity with all children,” wrote the initiators Marie-Noëlle Bouzet, Carine and Gino Russo, Louisa and Jean-Denis Lejeune, Paul and Betty Marchal and the family by Loubna Benaissa.

The signal from those hundreds of thousands of people taking to the streets could not be ignored. The organization Child Focus, the Foundation for Missing and Sexually Exploited Children, has been obtained directly from the discontent that has arisen among the population about the failure of the investigative services and the judiciary in the Dutroux case. The police were reformed through the Octopus Agreement. Thus, a drafted two-level police force was created. It also established a sentencing court to examine applications for early release. In addition, a High Council for the Judiciary was established.

Next Wednesday, October 20, Queen Mathilde will attend the commemoration of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the White March. During this tribute is paid to all children who are victims of disappearances and sexual exploitation. The commemoration will take place in the Warande Park.

After two girls, Laetitia Delhez and Sabine Darne, who had been kidnapped by the Dutroux gang in mid-August of that year, were narrowly rescued from the basement of Dutroux’s house, the violent realization came that Dutroux was also responsible for the kidnapping of four other girls and before the death of his accomplice Bernard Weinstein. Julie Lejeune, Mélissa Russo, An Marchal and Eefje Lambrecks were found dead. The march, which started at 2 pm on Sunday 20 October 1996 at the North Station, was organized at the request of Marie-Noëlle Bouzet, the mother of the missing girl Elisabeth Brichet. In an interview on September 20, she called for a large demonstration in Brussels. The intention, not expressed in so many words, was that the population could use this march to express its anger and violence at the detested ‘Spaghetti arrest’ that the Court of Cassation had issued a week earlier. The arrest has found investigating judge Jean-Marc Connerotte of the investigation, because he had aroused one of partiality by going to a benefit of the non-profit organization Marc et Corinne, where parents of missing children were also present. ‘We want this march without banners and without political slogans. White will be our, the symbol of our designed and murdered children, of the betrayed innocence, but also of non-violence. Join us with a white flower or a white balloon as a sign of recognition. We want this march to be a peaceful demonstration of the people, in line with our solidarity with all children,” wrote the initiators Marie-Noëlle Bouzet, Carine and Gino Russo, Louisa and Jean-Denis Lejeune, Paul and Betty Marchal and the family by Loubna Benaissa. The signal from those hundreds of thousands of people taking to the streets could not be ignored. The organization Child Focus, the Foundation for Missing and Sexually Exploited Children, has been obtained directly from the discontent that has arisen among the population about the failure of the investigative services and the judiciary in the Dutroux case. The police were reformed through the Octopus Agreement. Thus, a two-level composite police force was created. It also established a sentencing court to examine applications for early release. In addition, a High Council for the Judiciary was established. Next Wednesday, October 20, Queen Mathilde will attend the commemoration of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the White March. During this tribute is paid to all children who are victims of disappearances and sexual exploitation. The commemoration will take place in the Warande Park.