A minor has been arrested in Ghent following aggression towards medical staff during an intervention, the East Flanders prosecutor’s office has confirmed.
The incident occurred overnight from Friday to Saturday when emergency services attempted to assist the intoxicated young man. Initially, the ambulance staff faced verbal aggression, which escalated to physical confrontation at the emergency department of Sint-Lucas hospital. Police intervened and detained the suspect.
Two nurses suffered bruising to their shoulders in the altercation, the hospital confirmed on Saturday. While the injuries are minor, both the nurses and ambulance staff involved have been granted a few days off to recover from the incident. “We regret all forms of violence against emergency responders,” said Josse Abrahams, spokesperson for Sint-Lucas. “Unfortunately, this is becoming more frequent.”
The socialist union ACOD-LRB East Flanders condemned the incident, with representative Stephan Van de Meirssche calling it “sad and deplorable.” He noted that similar cases of violence were reported earlier this year, prompting a government campaign. “Many steps have been taken, but clearly, there’s still work to do,” he said. “It’s disappointing that not everyone understands the importance of respecting our emergency workers.”
The prosecutor’s office reported that the minor was released later but provided no further details about the circumstances surrounding the incident.
