Belgian migration secretary Theo Francken has filed a complaint against the activists who staged a protest at a detention centre for asylum seekers last month. Federal asylum and migration secretary Theo Francken announced on Twitter today that he has filed a complaint against the activists who staged a protest at a closed detention centre for asylum-seekers in Steenokkerzeel, Flanders, a couple of weeks ago.
In his tweet, Francken noted that the protesters damaged the roof of the 127Bis centre, where asylum-seekers whose requests have been denied are detained before being sent back to their respective home countries. He added that the damages have been estimated at €5,880.60. “We will recover this from the perpetrators,” he said, noting that his office had brought a civil case against the protesters.
The June 20 protest saw some 100 activists from the #NotInMyName collective demonstrating in front of the Steenokkerzeel centre to protest against the construction of a nearby new detention centre for migrant families with children close to Brussels Airport, the country’s main airport located in Zaventem, Flanders. Some of the protesters also climbed the roof of the building during the event, allegedly damaging the roof in some places.
Linda A. Thompson
The Brussels Times
