Several Brussels residents recently launched a petition to change the name of metro station Pétillon, in the municipality of Etterbeek, as it was named after Arthur Pétillon, an army major during King Leopold II's colonial rule in Congo.
The petition has so far received over 180 signatures. It calls to decolonise Brussels' public space and "to reassess some of the tributes that have been paid in the past." It proposes renaming the station Lucie Spède after a relatively unknown Etterbeek poet who died in 2010.
"Her poetry was sincere, strong and inclusive, and she adapted her work to make it accessible to children with disabilities," the petition states. "By renaming this station in her honour, we are recognising not only her immense talent but also her values of inclusion and empathy."
For his part, Pétillon returned to Belgium in 1894 and received several honours for his role in Congo, according to the Biographie Coloniale Belge, a biographical directory of people who played a role in Congolese history and of Belgians involved in overseas expansion before or after 1830. Later, he also became a municipal councillor in Etterbeek.
Who decides the name?
"It is time for our public spaces to reflect the positive evolution of our society towards more equality and less exclusion," the petition stated, calling on the relevant Brussels and Etterbeek authorities, as well as STIB and Brussels Mobility Minister Elke Van den Brant, to implement the name change.
While STIB is indeed responsible for stops above ground, metro stations are under regional competence. In practice, this means that the Brussels government will have to decide on the name of both the metro station and the above-ground tram stop, also called Pétillon.
"We are certainly open to discussion," Pieterjan Desmet, spokesperson for competent minister Elke Van den Brandt, told Het Laatste Nieuws. "The proposal fits within our philosophy to feminise more place and street names in the region and distance ourselves from certain periods in our history."
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Van den Brandt's office is currently contacting the petition's organisers for a consultation before a research process with historians can start. "We are also planning consultations with STIB and the Etterbeek municipality. We cannot yet give a concrete date for a final decision, but it will not necessarily take a long time."
Etterbeek mayor Vincent De Wolf pointed out to BX1 that the naming of metro stations and regional roads is a regional competence but that the "elegant" coordination between Van den Brandt, the municipalities and STIB should help speed things up. "The fact that someone is asking for a name change is legitimate, but the surrounding neighbourhood must be respected."
