Following the violence that shook Brussels during the Belgian Football Cup final last weekend, the local police are asking witnesses to share any images and footage of football hooligans rampaging through the city.
The Brussels-Capital/Ixelles police are calling on people to send them images of the incidents involving football supporters in the centre of Brussels and Laeken, in the context of the Club Brugge-RSC Anderlecht game last Sunday. Videos circulating on social media show shop windows being smashed, street furniture being damaged and fireworks being thrown into the crowd.
"A judicial task force has been set up to analyse the images and identify possible perpetrators," the local police said in a press release. All images can be sent to zpz.polbru.info@police.belgium.eu.
What happened on Sunday?
A few hours before last Sunday's Belgian Cup final at the King Baudouin Stadium, a horde of Bruges hooligans marched through the municipalities of Molenbeek-Saint-Jean and Jette on foot, attacking several businesses and assaulting residents.
Videos circulating on social media reveal particularly brutal scenes: racist remarks, broken windows, and even damaged street furniture.
One of these videos shows about 15 hooligans entering a DIY store located on Rue Vanderstichelen. The "supporters" are seen vandalising the store before physically attacking the two employees present: the 73-year-old manager (who had just left hospital) and his son. Both victims had to be hospitalised.
Other shopkeepers were fortunate to "avoid damage and physical attacks," but "could not avoid the Islamophobic and racist insults."
Riot police and soccer fans pictured at an Anderlecht supporters village at the Atomium, before the final of the 'Croky Cup' Belgian soccer cup, between Club Brugge and RSC Anderlecht, Sunday 04 May 2025. Credit: Belga / Hatim Kaghat
Many believe that additional security measures could have been put in place for these types of "supporters," especially on the sidelines of a Cup final – particularly as past games between these two rivals have been known to lead to violence among fans.
On Tuesday evening, a rally in support of "victims of hatred and violence" was organised in Molenbeek. Around 100 participants expressed their solidarity with two DIY store employees who were attacked by Bruges hooligans.
Meanwhile, Anderlecht mayor Fabrice Cumps (PS) announced that he will be banning Club Brugge supporters from attending a new match against Anderlecht on 18 May.
'Proportionate' measures
However, Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden (CD&V) stressed that she does not want to punish supporters who had nothing to do with the riots, by banning them from attending the next match.
She called for "proportionate" measures on Wednesday morning. "The incidents have nothing to do with football fans. They are rioters who only come to destroy the infrastructure and the metro trains. You have to make a difference," she said on Bel-RTL.
According to her, it is not about supporters who come to the stadium with a combined ticket, which also includes bus transport and access to the stadium. "Anyone can take the train and if the rioters want to, they will do so. With or without a ban from the municipality."
Previously, Interior Minister Bernard Quintin (MR) announced that he is analysing the facts with the competent authorities, and he recalled that the "football law" will be strengthened so the perpetrators of violence can be more easily identified and punished.
