Ixelles has launched a crackdown on street spitting with an advertising campaign reminding people of the consequences if they are caught spitting in public.
Several eye-catching posters have been spotted in the commune showing a llama, a creature known for its spitting behaviours, accompanied by the words, “Respect, that's free. But spitting on the street will cost you up to 500 euros.”
As Bruzz reports, spitting in public is illegal in the Brussels-Capital Region, but remains an all-too-common sight on the streets of the capital. It is considered to be “uncivil behaviour”, in the same category as public urination and fly-tipping.
According to Walter Weyns, a sociologist at the University of Antwerp, it is often young men who spit more frequently in public.
Weyns told Bruzz: "In recent years, spitting has been shown more frequently on television screens. For example, you see football players throwing phlegm onto the ground before or after a match. That's easy to imitate."
He added: "It's also a way of showing off. It expresses a kind of boldness, a territorial appropriation. An 'I can do whatever I want here' feeling.”
The origins of the ban
Originally, public authorities had to formally ban spitting on the streets to eradicate diseases such as tuberculosis. Viruses are transmitted mainly through secretions from the mouth and nose and can remain present on certain surfaces for several days.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, authorities in Brussels began to enforce the law with greater urgency.
In 2021, the commune of Jette launched a similar campaign to the one in Ixelles, with signs appearing around the neighbourhood saying “You’re not a llama, don’t spit on the street!” in both French and Dutch.
According to Bruzz, the llama campaign is part of a broader attempt to reduce litter and improve the cleanliness of the city's streets. The ‘We See You’ campaign launched by Ixelles, Saint-Gilles and Forest, aimed to highlight the problems of fly-tipping, littering and dog fouling.
Geoffroy Kensier (Les Engagés), councillor in charge of public cleanliness for Ixelles, confirmed that enforcement officers issued two fines for spitting during a recent operation in the commune.
