In a year, the Brussels region will gain more than 300 new surveillance cameras. This means there will be nearly 1,000 cameras (997, to be precise) scrutinising the capital’s public areas by the end of 2015, the Sudpresse papers reported on Monday.
It will be up to each commune to decide whether to increase or decrease the number of cameras in their streets. Some think that the cameras are dissuasive, and increase security. Only the communes of Auderghem and Watermael-Boitsfort have no surveillance cameras. Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, on the other hand, will have more than 200 by the end of 2015.
It should also be noted that civilian protests against this surveillance are less numerous. According to the Molenbeek-Saint-Jean mayor, François Schepmans (MR), “10 years ago, it was common to have complaints against the installation of surveillance cameras. Today, people near enough ask for them”.
(Source: Belga)
