An election event with the former leader of the Flemish socialist Vooruit party, Conner Rousseau, was cut short on Wednesday evening as his safety could no longer be guaranteed by the police.
Rousseau had to end his evening in the municipality of Ninove (East Flanders province) – which famously houses many far-right Vlaams Belang supporters – earlier than planned due to threats from passers-by.
"I have to finish because there is a mob coming and there are not enough police officers here to guarantee my safety," Rousseau told the crowd, after an employee from the venue whispered something in his ear, Het Nieuwsblad reports.
It was the last evening of Rousseau's election events in the East Flanders province, where he is the last candidate on the list. "This [threat] means there is still a lot of work to be done," he said. After some protests from the public, Rousseau said he had better listen to the police, left quickly (and to loud applause), and was escorted to his car by police.
'Extremes threaten our freedom'
Ninove Mayor Tania De Jonge (Open VLD) told VRT that a number of people in the area of the café shouted at the people inside and used quite coarse language. "The organisers called the police and when they arrived on the scene, the shouters had already run away. At that time, the organisation decided to end the event early and Conner Rousseau was then escorted to his car."
"I think it is shameful that a political meeting and freedom of expression were disrupted," she added. "I hope that we can find out who the shouters were through camera images."
On Instagram, Rousseau briefly spoke about the incident saying that "a very nice evening" ended "on a bad note."
He added that the people who threatened him felt that Ninove was better off with the far-right, not the socialists. "Extremes threaten our freedom. I hope everyone will think carefully about what kind of country they want to wake up in on 10 June."
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In the meantime, however, the police had five officers on the scene and "could certainly guarantee safety," chief of the Ninove police zone Wim Pieteraerens told VTM.
There were indeed passers-by who shouted at the café, but they simply walked on by, he said. "When the team arrived on the scene, there was no one to be seen. There was certainly no commotion. At no time did we ask to stop the evening, the early termination was a decision of the organiser and Mr Rousseau himself."
Rousseau, however, contradicts the police chief's version of the event, saying that "a group of rough types stood at the entrance – dozens of them. They wanted to get in. Things were said there... I will not repeat them."
As the atmosphere became grimmer, the police also advised to stop, Rousseau said, because they could not guarantee the safety of such a large group. "I only saw the police when I came outside, they suggested that they walk with me to the car."
Rousseau invited those who were there on Wednesday to return on Thursday at 19:00, at the same place. "In peace and respect for each other."
