Eight of the 16 minors arrested after Friday’s protest in Brussels were released despite being eligible for placement in a public youth protection institution, because no places were available, the Brussels public prosecutor’s office said on Sunday.
Among them was a 16-year-old boy arrested while in possession of ready-to-use Molotov cocktails, according to the prosecutor’s office.
After their arrests, the youths were placed at the disposal of prosecutors. Given the seriousness of the alleged offences, prosecutors requested placement in a youth institution for eight of the minors.
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In several cases, the youth court also ruled that such a measure was strictly necessary.
The prosecutor’s office said one of the youths, a 16-year-old already known to the youth court, was found near seven ready-to-use Molotov cocktails and admitted he had intended to take them to the protest.
Another 16-year-old was identified on camera footage allegedly throwing electric scooters onto a burning barricade.
A 14-year-old was also arrested after repeatedly throwing stones and pyrotechnic mortars at police, the statement said.
Despite the prosecutors’ requests and the youth court’s placement orders, the minors had to be released and were allowed to return home because of a lack of available places in the relevant institutions, the Brussels prosecutor’s office said.
It said the situation was particularly worrying because alternatives to placement are also saturated. Mobile support teams and educational supervision measures already face significant waiting times, with 44 young people currently waiting for a support programme.
As for public youth protection institutions, 283 French-speaking youths are currently waiting for a place in a closed regime, according to the prosecutor’s office.
The office said the situation once again raises questions about whether available resources match the day-to-day needs of the justice system, particularly in youth protection.
It added that prosecutors would continue their work with determination and again called on the relevant authorities to restore the credibility of the juvenile justice system.
