Molenbeek-Saint-Jean has been hit by a series of shootings mainly linked to drug trafficking, the most recent of which was on Saturday. Acting mayor Amet Gjanaj (PS) has called for a "holistic" approach combining security, prevention, and social action.
"The people who recruit in Molenbeek don't live here. We have to stop drugs from reaching Antwerp. This means working with many different players: [Interior] Minister Quintin, the conference of mayors, the regional security council," he told Belga News Agency on Monday.
The mayor said that a municipal council meeting would be held on Monday to discuss current affairs and would "obviously" address the violence of recent days. "Every day, the police are working, arrests are being made and drugs are being seized. We have requested additional personnel and I join the call by the Public Prosecutor Julien Moinil for more resources," he said.
At the local level, Gjanaj insists on the mobilisation of all municipal services: "in addition to police work, we must create opportunities for people. Drug trafficking is a lucrative business. We want to stop the recruitment of young people. Unfortunately, the Arizona measures risk weakening certain groups and making them more vulnerable to networks."
The liberal opposition believes that the municipal council is overwhelmed by the situation. "Faced with the clear failure of the council, the MR in Molenbeek is calling on the Region to take exceptional measures, comparable to placing the area under special security supervision," said local leader Gloria García Fernandez.
At the federal level, Interior Minister Bernard Quintin (MR) has promised to "take firm action." According to his spokesperson Veli Yüksel, the Brussels Federal Judicial Police has increased its staff from 671 officers in January to 720 in July, with 70 new recruits currently being hired.
