The mayors of Saint-Gilles, Anderlecht and Forest have called for a federal action plan to tackle the drugs war in the Brussels Capital Region after a series of shootings, including in Saint-Gilles.
The three mayors made the appeal after meeting Interior Minister Bernard Quintin at the headquarters of the Brussels Midi police zone. They said in unison that the violence should be treated as a national issue. The meeting began at around 09:00 and also included Midi police chief Jurgen De Landsheer. After two hours of talks, the officials addressed the press.
Quintin said the purpose of the meeting was to show support for the Brussels Midi police zone, especially after a shooting at a police station a few days earlier. The minister said the recent incidents were a consequence of efforts to disrupt drug dealers’ activities. He added that the authorities now needed to assess what had worked and what had not.
Jean Spinette, the mayor of Saint-Gilles, called for extra personnel in his municipality through the deployment of federal officers. Quintin replied that this was possible, but said the request ultimately fell under the mayor’s responsibility. He said any reinforcement would have to be assessed, whether from the federal police or from other Brussels police zones. According to Quintin, substantial additional resources had already been provided.
The minister said new measures and operations would follow, describing the situation as a national emergency and urging all authorities to assume their responsibilities.
The mayors also said the violence was a national problem. However, Spinette said no firm promises of extra resources had yet been made to help halt the drugs war in Brussels. “At this stage, no promises have been made,” he said. “I hope we have been heard, but we will see.”
