Flemish Justice Minister Zuhal Demir (N-VA) has called for a legalisation of pepper spray for self-defence in Belgium, arguing that people should be allowed to protect themselves under strict conditions.
Demir made the remarks on Thursday in the Flemish Parliament in response to a question from independent MP Maurits Vande Reyde.
Under Belgium’s federal weapons law, carrying or using pepper spray for self-defence is currently prohibited.
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Last year, Federal Equal Opportunities Minister Rob Beenders (Vooruit) announced that he wanted to examine whether pepper spray could be legalised for that purpose.
The Flemish Peace Institute has since issued a negative opinion on the idea, warning of the risk of misuse, the possible escalation of violence, danger to bystanders, and the limited effectiveness of pepper spray in certain situations.
However, Demir rejected that assessment. She said that, in an ideal world, such protective devices would be unnecessary, but that many women and some men feel unsafe in public spaces. She also argued that police can't always arrive immediately when someone faces a threatening situation.
Demir said that she herself carries a personal alarm on her keyring because she has previously been attacked and threatened, and she is now calling for a legal framework that would allow pepper spray to be used as a means of self-defence.
As an example, she pointed to Austria, where carrying and using pepper spray is permitted under strict conditions as lawful self-defence, while misuse is also punishable.
Demir said she considered that a balanced approach and intends to raise the issue with her federal counterparts, as weapons legislation falls under federal authority.
