The 2016 New Year Eve festivities planned by Brussels city will not take place on Thursday. The annulation was decided on Wednesday evening by Brussels Mayor Yvan Mayeur, due to security concerns and the risk of terrorist threats. All the festivity programme, announced by the city on 29 December will be affected. Which means the fireworks, animations on the new pedestrian zone and DJ for the night will not take place.
The decision was taken following the release of the latest Ocam report, the Belgian organisation for the analysis and coordination of security threats, and a meeting with the interior minister Jan Jambon, indicates Yvan Mayeur. “The crisis centre has indicated that the risks are high and important surrounding the New Year”, he says. “The main targets are the masses of people”, he adds, reminding that last year’s New Year Eve festivities attracted 100 000 people.
“The police will regardless be deployed in high numbers in the city centre all evening. Also it doesn’t mean that everything will be shut. The restaurants, the bars, private parties..will allow Brussels citizens to celebrate”, he insists, adding that the decision was “difficult” to make.
(Source: Belga)
