Several hundred people gathered at the Ettaouba Mosque in Evere on Friday to pay their final respects to Driss Atounane, who died after being assaulted on a tram in Schaerbeek on 23 July.
A steady stream of mourners arrived throughout the morning ahead of the funeral prayer, which began shortly before 14:00. The burial was due to take place afterwards at Evere Cemetery.
Brussels North Police (Schaerbeek, Evere and Saint-Josse-ten-Noode) said the victim's family had asked for the media to keep their distance from the ceremony and requested that relatives be allowed to grieve in privacy.
The Brussels Public Prosecutor's Office confirmed on Tuesday that the 54-year-old Evere resident had died after being taken to hospital in a critical condition.
A tribute mural of Driss is located in Evere. Credit: Facebook
According to prosecutors, Atounane had tried to defend a female passenger during an altercation involving racist abuse on a tram travelling along Chaussée de Helmet in Schaerbeek.
The suspect, who was arrested minutes after the incident, was initially charged with intentional assault causing injury to a vulnerable person and intentional assault causing injury. He was remanded in custody, and the judicial investigation is ongoing.
