Brussels police prepare for possible riots in Bois de la Cambre this weekend

Brussels police prepare for possible riots in Bois de la Cambre this weekend
Credit: Belga

Police in Brussels are setting up a system to supervise both events which are expected to take place in Bois de la Cambre this weekend, but the park will not be closed.

The "La Boum" test event and the "World Wide Demonstration", a protest during which participants “will walk, sing and dance in the streets of the woods”, have been planned for Saturday afternoon.

"We have planned a system to supervise all the activities that will take place on Saturday on our territory," Ilse Van de Keere, spokesperson for the Brussels Capital-Ixelles police, told Sudinfo.

Following the "La Boum 2" event organised at the start of this month, which resulted in 132 arrests, the group behind "La Boum" ("L'Abîme") announced it was planning to hold another event to prove the safety of large-scale outdoor gatherings, following a suggestion from Federal Home Affairs minister Annelies Verlinden to meet with the group to create a test event.

The second event expected to take place on Saturday has distanced itself from the "La Boum" test event on its Facebook page.

Both events have not been authorised and the authorities have advised people against participating, however, over 3,200 people have said expressed an interest in the "La Boum" test event, whilst about 2,500 people have expressed interest in the "World Wide Demonstration".

The police will be present to keep an eye out for the number of people attending both events.


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