On Monday, the criminal court of Antwerp considered the second trial concerning the illegal ‘freefights’ or ‘forest fights’ in the environment of football hooligans. In the case against 66 members of the hard core of Antwerp, the court pronounced approved. A number of initial ones are still awaiting an appeal process.

After the attack by Antwerp hooligans on a Beerschot supporters bus in 2017, the police and public prosecutor not only started an investigation into the Antwerp hooligan scene, but also the shape of Beerschot’s ultras were examined. That investigation showed that the Young Guard Beerschot also played money between supporter groups.

“Serious threat to public order”

‘Freefights’ are fights in forests or other remote places, where supporter groups agree to fight against each other. “Agreements are being made about the number of participants and the armament,” said the prosecutor. There is also often a referee present. But the agreements are often ignored. And during the fight, participants are injured from being knocked out, without medical assistance being provided. The fighting poses a serious threat to public order and is therefore illegal.”

According to the public prosecutor, the Young Guard Beerschot took part in at least four ‘freefights’, between 2014 and 2017. The fighters of the hard core of Beerschot faced the ultras of Waasland-Beveren, Genk, Lierse and Antwerp. In addition, a number of defendants were involved in a 2017 raid on café Wimbledon, a Lierse supporters café.

23 members on trial

The leader of the Young Guard Beerschot, according to the prosecutor Robbie S., who was assisted by his right-hand man Sven D. Robbie S. maintained with the other supporter cores, made for clothing and took part in a number of fights himself. S. risks one of 22 months. His meticulousness risks a community service of 180 hours.

In total, 23 members of Jonge Garde Beerschot are on trial, including founder Wim VDE. He risks 14 months in prison. The founder also denies having anything to do with the ‘freefights’. “He founded the Jonge Garde Beerschot 25 years ago, but he no longer belongs to the club of friends that the Jonge Garde Beerschot is now,” said his adviser Nick Paelemans. “He has not been involved in the ‘freefights’. He has only been a spectator once.”

“No leaders and division of labor”

Attorney Xavier Potvin defended several defendants. “We are not going to discuss the illegal content of the ‘freefights’,” said Mr. Potfin. “Determining my file that they have made mistakes and taking their responsibility. But we do dispute that Jonge Garde Beer was an association whose purpose was to commit violence. There is no organization here, with a sergeant general as we have seen in the Antwerp file. There is no organization here that recruited and paid fighters to take part in fights against other groups. The people you see sitting here are all friends, who meet at football, who go out together, who come together at home and go to each other’s birthday parties. This group also had no leaders, let alone a division of labor. Everyone was equal.”

Like Master Potvin, his colleague Brecht Pype, who pleaded for second defendant Sven D., also warned against looking at the Beerschot file with the same glasses as the Antwerp file. “No participant lists were drawn up, there was no structure,” says Pype.

Potvin: “The defendants also stopped participating in ‘freefight’ after 2017, because they thought it had nothing to do with the football experience anymore. They felt that groups like Antwerp’s were far too professional for them. They feared it would get out of hand.”

“Not the same man anymore”

A number of defendants took the floor themselves during the trial. They asked the court for a lenient sentence. “I made mistakes,” said Robbie S., the captain. “But here stands a different man today than I was five years ago when the last events happened. I am no longer in contact with the police of the court. I am in a relationship and I have a lot of work.” (vdaa)