More than 1,000 people, most of them police officers from across Belgium, gathered in Brussels on Friday to pay tribute to Nordine El Talbi, a senior police inspector killed during an operation in Jette overnight from Monday to Tuesday.
The ceremony was held beneath the arches of the Cinquantenaire in the Belgian capital. Officers began arriving from 09:00, two hours before it started, with uniformed and plain-clothes police, special units, recruits and cadets taking their places in front of the stage.
Michel Goovaerts, chief of the Brussels-Capital/Ixelles police zone, described El Talbi as courageous, principled, professional, committed, cheerful, collegial, respectful and deeply valued. He said the officer’s death would leave a lasting mark and called him a true Brussels “ketje,” using the local term for a streetwise lad.
A portrait of El Talbi was projected on to a giant screen as the crowd fell silent at 11:00. The tribute took place in brightening weather as the sun emerged from behind the arches and cloud.
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Brussels mayor Philippe Close said the ceremony should never have been necessary. He said El Talbi should have gone home to his loved ones.
Two of El Talbi’s colleagues then delivered emotional speeches about years spent patrolling together, shared operations and a friendship built over time. One broke down in tears at the end of his tribute, and both were met with long applause.
Known by the nickname “James,” El Talbi had attempted the selection tests to join the Anti-Aggression Brigade six times before succeeding in 2019, a decade after joining the police. Colleagues jokingly called him “007,” though he would point out that he had sat the tests only six times, not seven.
His colleagues said that perseverance reflected his courage and determination. They also praised his professionalism, discipline and commitment on the ground.
They said he knew Brussels inside out and had a rare ability to connect with residents, command respect, and defuse difficult situations. His generosity and concern for vulnerable people were also highlighted.
Federal Security and Home Affairs Minister Bernard Quintin posthumously awarded El Talbi the First Class Civic Cross for courage, devotion and humanity. He said the officer had paid with his life for his service to the community.
Two black vehicles from the Anti-Aggression Brigade were displayed with the symbolic number plates “Nordine” and “James”. The Royal Band of the Guides, the Belgian Defence orchestra, provided the music for the ceremony.
At 11:30, the crowd observed a minute’s silence, followed by a film retracing the officer’s life. The Belgian national anthem was played before the ceremony ended at 11:45, as a police helicopter flew over the arches.
Among those attending were Brussels regional minister-president Boris Dilliès, Brussels minister Elke Van den Brandt, Defence Minister Theo Francken, Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden, Deputy Prime Minister Jan Jambon, Speaker of the Chamber Peter De Roover and MR party president Georges-Louis Bouchez.
Almost all Brussels mayors were also present, along with regional MPs and senior judicial figures, including Brussels public prosecutor Julien Moinil. The King was represented at the ceremony.
