Around 3,000 revellers at an illegal rave on the former NATO military base in Sugny, Namur province, have begun leaving the site since midday on Sunday, according to Arnaud Allard, the mayor of Vresse-sur-Semois.
“The music was stopped precisely at noon, and festival-goers have been very cooperative,” explained the mayor. “We’re hopeful the site will be entirely evacuated peacefully, and it seems on track. Of course, a few individuals are not in a state to drive. We will ensure they can sleep in their cars, but off the premises,” he added.
The unauthorised rave began on Friday night and drew around 3,000 people from Belgium, France, the Netherlands, and Spain.
A dialogue was immediately established between organisers, police, and the mayor. Since authorities lacked the resources to safely evacuate the thousands present, a plan was agreed upon to end the event by Sunday noon. The organisers have kept their word. In the meantime, roads were blocked and checks conducted to prevent new attendees from entering the site.
