Belgian national railway operator SNCB-NMBS said the violence is a "broader societal problem," responding to a survey which showed a sharp increase in aggression incidents at Belgian train stations.
According to a survey published by Het Laatste Nieuws on Thursday, almost all stations in Belgium have become more unsafe over the last ten years. On average, two people are attacked on a train or at a station every day, HLN wrote.
Between 2021 and 2024, an average of 726 people were assaulted annually at a station or on a train.
"At SNCB alone, 2,600 assaults against staff were reported last year," a SNCB spokesperson told HLN. "But the phenomenon isn't limited to train stations. It's a broader societal problem."
A police source said, "Violence is increasing everywhere. It's very visible on the ground. " Railway police also claimed to be "severely understaffed."
All parties involved in the situation must assume their responsibilities, SNCB stressed. "The environment of train stations attracts vulnerable groups, for whom support or care is often insufficient," the spokesperson said.
The police, the justice system, but also organisations responsible for the cleanliness of public spaces and organisations that help homeless people all have a role to play in this context, he added.
The agents of the railway security service Securail also patrol daily, but have only limited powers. One of the solutions put forward by the railway company would therefore be to increase the police presence in stations, both to support Securail staff and to act as a deterrent against violence.
The presence of military personnel in stations for surveillance missions could also "contribute to a solution," the spokesperson said.
