A rally in support of "victims of hatred and violence" was organised in the Brussels municipality of Molenbeek-Saint-Jean on Tuesday, following the violence that shook the capital during the Belgian Football Cup final last weekend.
Around 100 participants expressed their solidarity with two DIY store employees who were attacked by Bruges hooligans on Sunday.
"No fascist violence in my neighbourhood" and "All Brussels residents, all at home" could be read on some signs. The rally was organised by residents, on the square at the end of Rue de Mexico. Flowers were placed on the square and on the facade of the DIY store, which was located nearby.
"The police were not present at the time of the incident," Wafa, a local resident and mother of four, told Belga News Agency. She explains that she's worried about her children's safety. "It could have been them."
What happened on Sunday?
A few hours before last Sunday's Belgian Cup final at the King Baudouin Stadium, a horde of Bruges hooligans marched through the municipalities of Molenbeek-Saint-Jean and Jette on foot, attacking several businesses and assaulting residents. Videos circulating on social media reveal particularly brutal scenes: racist remarks, broken windows, and even damaged street furniture.
One of these videos shows about 15 hooligans entering a DIY store located on Rue Vanderstichelen. The "supporters" are seen vandalising the store before physically attacking the two employees present: the 73-year-old manager (who had just left hospital) and his son. Both victims had to be hospitalised.
Other shopkeepers were fortunate to "avoid damage and physical attacks," explains Ryad Sbai, a local shopkeeper who witnessed these acts of brutality. Along with his colleagues and customers, they quickly managed to shut themselves inside the store and lock it when the hooligans passed by.
"But we could not avoid the Islamophobic and racist insults. We feel anger and incomprehension," Sbai said. He believes that additional security measures could have been put in place for these types of "supporters," especially on the sidelines of a Cup final.
Inhabitants of Molenbeek-Saint-Jean organise a rally in support of the victims of 'hatred and violence' in Brussels on Tuesday 06 May 2025. Credit: Belga/Lou Lampaert
The acting mayor of Molenbeek, Amet Gjanaj (PS), was present at the rally to express his solidarity with the residents. According to him, these "unspeakable acts of violence" could have been avoided. "These people with extremist views are most likely registered somewhere, and I cannot imagine that national security forces do not have access to these files."
These "so-called supporters" – often already known to football clubs – should be banned from stadiums, Gjanaj stressed.
On Sunday evening, the violence committed by Bruges hooligans in Brussels was followed by aggressive reactions by Brussels residents against some Bruges supporters – one fan suffered a gunshot wound in the ankle near Brussels Midi train station.
