A journalist was detained by the Brussels/Ixelles police zone last week during a night-time intervention while covering a story on civil disobedience, reported BX1 and confirmed by the police.
The independent journalist was following activists who were putting up anti-far-right posters near European institutions. The Brussels police claimed the young journalist was part of the activists, even though he showed his official press card, which the police acknowledged. The incident took place on Tuesday night, during which six people were detained, according to the Brussels/Ixelles police zone in a reply to the Belga news agency.
One of those detained was independent journalist Thomas Haulotte, who was filming a report on civil disobedience. Haulotte recounted that during the night-time action, activists were surrounded by two police vans. “About ten officers got out and asked us to stand aside,” he said.
Haulotte immediately explained to the officers that he was reporting on civil disobedience actions and showed his press card. However, he was still arrested due to a presumed association with the activists. The police confirmed Haulotte had presented his press card to the officers. “I was just doing my job,” he lamented.
The police zone stated it was unclear if Haulotte was on a journalistic assignment at that moment and noted that no prior recording request had been submitted.
According to the Flemish Association of Journalists (VVJ), such a request is unnecessary, and the police cannot simply arrest a journalist. The Francophone counterpart of the VVJ, the Association of Professional Journalists (AJP), with which Haulotte is affiliated, will file a complaint against the Brussels police.
