drug violence
After weeks of brutal drug violence, Brussels Prime Minister Rudi Vervoort has come up with a plan of action. More police on the streets, systematic identity checks and fines for those who buy drugs should guarantee the safety of local residents.
“We are well aware that there is increasing substance use in Brussels, but that does not absolve us of the obligation to do everything we can to protect the population.” Brussels Prime Minister Rudi Vervoort (PS) said this after Monday’s Regional Security Council. Forty Brussels neighborhood committees had called on him to take urgent action, after weeks of shootings, which also left one dead in Saint-Gilles.
In some neighborhoods, such as Peterbos (Anderlecht), security did not even dare to intervene. To avoid such no-go zones, Vervoort is now taking charge of coordination. Brussels will be divided into ‘hotspots’, where strict controls will be the norm. This concerns ten to fifteen zones, the Brussels Prime Minister explained.
Operation cleaning
“It will not surprise you that this includes Peterbos, Matonge and the Hallepoort Park,” says Vervoort. The latter park has been known for years as a ‘drive-in’ for the sale of drugs. There was also a large police presence there at the beginning of February after a shooting in which weapons of war were allegedly used. The full list of hotspots will be announced later.
Police decisions will be issued to support the work of the police, it said. The Prime Minister can, for example, impose a temporary ban on laughing gas or alcohol in a hotspot. It will also become possible to impose a restraining order on dealers and to carry out systematic identity checks.
The Regional Security Council also praised the federal ‘cleaning operation’ at South Station last summer. During this action, the police worked closely with street workers and cleanliness services. “We are not just going to stop underage sans-papers, but rather guide them further and help them move forward. For example, if we close a squat that is used for drug trafficking, we will immediately have the residents accompanied,” said Chief of Police Jurgen De Landsheer.
Also penalize buyers
The package of measures serves not only to deter drug dealers, but also buyers and users. Anyone caught using or possessing such a hotspot will receive a municipal administrative sanction (GAS), Bruzz knows.
The implementation of the regional strategy depends on the cooperation of all parties involved – the federal, regional and local authorities – each of which remains responsible and independent within its own set of powers. The strategy therefore relies on their cooperation.
