Coronavirus: anarchists call for violence against police

Coronavirus: anarchists call for violence against police
The police are not the only target, as the pamphlet also calls on supporters to use screwdrivers, hammers and lighters to attack prison guards. Credit: Belga

The Belgian police forces have been warned of possible attacks by anarchist groups by the State Security, after an online call for attacks to take place during the coronavirus crisis was published.

The Belgian State Security Service (VSSE) published a report on its website titled "The hidden danger of Covid-19," on Tuesday, which warns against both rightwing and leftwing extremist groups that are trying to use the coronavirus crisis to their advantage, for example by spreading fake news on the internet.

The Belgian Coordination Unit for Threat Analysis (OCAD/OCAM) has warned the police forces about the threat.

State Security's report mentioned an entry that appeared on 8 April on Indymedia Bruxsel, a website that State Security labelled as extreme left and anarchist, which is a call-to-action to carry out attacks during the measures in place to contain the further spread of the new coronavirus (Covid-19).

The anonymous writer launched a call "to perpetrate violence against the police, penitentiary officials and against the telecom infrastructure in order to inflict maximum damage on society," and cites the coronavirus outbreak as the ideal moment to take action as "the police forces are focussed on other matters," according to State Security.

Related News

"The time has come to attack," reads the message, which is also circulating on other anarchist and extreme-left Francophone websites, based in France.

"Our opponents are engaged in other things. The forces have never been so overworked and present in public space, with vehicles, drones or on foot. What would happen if we threatened them with death messages in their strongholds? What would happen if we attacked them with stones, fireworks and Molotov cocktails? In the middle of the night while they're asleep, or during their patrols," it added.

The police are not the only target, as the writer also calls on supporters to use screwdrivers, hammers and lighters to attack prison guards "on their way home." It also calls on readers to sabotage fibre optic cables and mobile phone masts, and to "not hesitate to attack in April, if you are too impatient to wait until May."

Recently, a mobile phone mast in the municipality of Pelt in the Limburg province was burned down. It is not clear if there is a link, but the court is investigating the case. "We are taking this into account in our investigation. At the moment, no arrests have been made," the public prosecutor's office in charge of the case told Het Nieuwsblad.

Maïthé Chini

The Brussels Times


Copyright © 2024 The Brussels Times. All Rights Reserved.