N-VA calls for swift, decisive action after Brussels riots: “The right to protest is not a licence to destroy”

Following a series of riots in Brussels over recent days and weeks, Mathias Vanden Borre is calling for a tougher, clearer approach to security in the capital. N-VA is therefore tabling a resolution urging the Brussels Government to take responsibility. “Our police officers are not punching bags. The authorities must do more to prevent violence and crack down on those responsible.”

“Anyone who attacks police officers, throws Molotov cocktails or vandalises public spaces must face the consequences. Young offenders cannot be allowed to walk free simply because there are no places available in secure youth detention facilities. That is effectively creating a system of impunity,” says Brussels MP Mathias Vanden Borre.

A regional framework with clear rules

Through this resolution, N-VA aims to compel the Brussels Government to take action. Safe.brussels must establish a regional framework for managing demonstrations, with clear agreements between municipalities, the police, emergency services, Brussels public transport operator STIB-MIVB and other relevant stakeholders. This would ensure better preparation for demonstrations, stronger protection for vulnerable locations and public transport, and faster, more effective cooperation between security services.

“We also need to lower the threshold for intervention and enforce it more strictly, particularly at high-risk demonstrations. Anyone who turns up at a protest wearing a mask or deliberately concealing their identity with the intention of causing trouble must be able to be isolated immediately. The police need to be able to act before a situation spirals out of control, not just after the damage has been done,” Vanden Borre says.

Making offenders pay for the damage they cause

N-VA is also calling for all damage to regional infrastructure to be systematically recorded and for ways to make those responsible cover the costs to be explored.

“The right to protest is not a licence to destroy. Those who deliberately set out to cause chaos cannot hide behind that right. The authorities must set clear boundaries in advance and act decisively when those boundaries are crossed. Young offenders must not be left with the impression that they can get away with anything. A shortage of places in secure facilities cannot mean that serious offences go without an appropriate response,” Vanden Borre concludes.