The chair of the Evere municipal council, Ridouane Chahid, filed a proposal to name a square after the shopkeeper who died defending a woman from abuse on a tram in July, according to Bruzz on Wednesday.
The 54-year-old shopkeeper and Evere resident, Driss Atounane, was travelling on the Brussels tram 55 in late July when he saw an altercation at the Linde tram stop and intervened to defend a woman who was being verbally abused by a man, who was allegedly shouting racist insults.
According to SudInfo, when Atounane called out the man's behaviour, he was hit over the head with a heavy object and fell to the ground. Atounane was then taken to the Brugmann University Hospital, where he later died.
According to Chahid (PS), his proposal serves as a way for the municipality to recognise and honour Atounane's actions and to emphasise that it is "determined to combat all forms of racism, xenophobia and discrimination".
The proposal names the small square near the Linde tram stop as the preferred location to honour the Brussels shopkeeper.
Chahid's proposal is set to be discussed next Wednesday at a municipal council meeting.
