Hundreds of people are back on the streets in Brussels years after getting out of hand: ‘No sanctions have been pronounced against the police yet’
On January 24 last year, 245 people, including 91 minors, were arrested and held for hours in the barracks of Etterbeek. The parents of the young people complain that no action has yet been taken on their complaints.
The demonstration was organized by the collective of parents against police brutality. That was founded by Alexandre Pycke, whose 16-year-old son Simon was arrested that day and also slapped by the police.
“The facts are heavy. It concerns both violence and racism from the police. We want to remind you of that’, says Alexandre Pycke. That’s a lot of people. The verdicts have been identified, but a year later no sanction has been pronounced,” the father laments.
The demonstrators complain that the officers are still employed and have contact with civilians. They think that is a dangerous situation. During the manifestation, five young people again testified about what they experienced and how they still feel the consequences.
‘My son is doing well, but the manifestation is causing him a lot of stress. He is afraid to return to the same place and bet again. I was surprised to hear that from my son. He’s going because I asked him to, but otherwise he wouldn’t come out of fear’, says papa Pycke.