During New Year’s Eve through to the morning of New Year’s Day, local police in the Brussels-North (Schaerbeek, Evere, Saint-Josse-ten-Noode) police zone seized 154 kilograms of fireworks and 14 kilograms of black powder. Sixteen municipal administrative sanctions were drafted as part these items being seized. This was indicated on Wednesday by the Brussels Public Prosecutor’s Office.
During the whole of December, the Brussels-North police zone carried out prevention and repression work concerning the sale and purchase of firecrackers. Specific patrols were set up so as to raise awareness amongst shopkeepers and citizens, to remind them of the rules on the sale and purchase of fireworks and firecrackers.
Some 100 police officers were deployed across the entire police zone during the night of New Year’s Eve into New Year’s day. No major incidents were recorded. Police interventions occurred in respect of firecrackers being thrown, and for fires presumed to be started intentionally on a bottle bank, a bin, a motorcycle and a car. In total, there were 16 people taken into custody, two arrested for the commission of crimes and 14 administrative arrests (involving police obstruction or public order offences).
The Brussels Times
