Several people – both police officers and partygoers – were injured after police raided a party in the abandoned shed on the Camping 58 site near the Atomium.
The "ecological campsite" Camping 58, on Avenue du Gros Tilleul in Laeken, just a stone's throw from the Atomium, welcomed its first guests in August 2022. It also regularly hosts activities including parties. However, the last party in the abandoned shed on the site on Saturday night, which was reportedly not organised by the campsite managers, turned sour after a police raid.
Camping 58 manager Bram De Ridder told Bruzz that the police charged into the building at around 01:30 on Saturday night. De Ridder said that the raid was heavy-handed and officers used disproportionate violence, resulting in several injuries.
"At least three people were hospitalised and several others were injured," the campsite managers wrote on social media. "We are still waiting to find out what exactly happened."
Complaint possible
The police say that it was an illegal party. "Our services received a call on Saturday night that there was an unsolicited party in an abandoned shed in Laeken," said Ilse Van de keere of the Brussels city/Ixelles police zone. "Our teams went to the scene to establish this."
However, according to De Ridder, all permits were in order. The police deployed pepper spray, dogs and truncheons when the partygoers did not leave immediately upon police orders, resulting in several revellers becoming injured in the process. However, five police officers were also injured "due to unruly behaviour".
Three attendees were arrested "for drug possession, unruly behaviour and inciting riots." The site has since been administratively closed "due to nuisance, and above all due to the sale and use of drugs" on the property.
A complaint may be filed for the way the police dealt with the partygoers. "We strongly condemn any form of unauthorised police action and violence," De Ridder said. "If young people feel they have been treated unfairly or feel victimised by the police action, we can only advise them to lodge complaints with the relevant departments."
