N-VA launches ‘New Year’s Plan for Brussels’ to tackle end-of-year violence

Every year, Brussels is faced with increasingly violent New Year’s Eve riots: emergency services are attacked, fireworks are weaponised, and entire neighbourhoods are turned into battlegrounds. To prevent a repeat of such chaos, Brussels MP Mathias Vanden Borre is proposing a package of urgent measures: “On New Year’s Eve, our emergency responders are literally putting their lives on the line. That’s unacceptable—and Brussels cannot continue to accept this yearly descent into lawlessness.”

“New Year’s riots happen because Brussels allows them to”

In recent years, the violence has escalated alarmingly: heavy fireworks deliberately launched at emergency vehicles, dozens of cars set ablaze, and coordinated groups of youths severely disrupting public order. Vanden Borre insists this is not inevitable, but rather the result of a lack of coherent policy: “New Year’s riots aren’t some act of nature—they happen because we allow them to. It’s time for Brussels to take control.”

A clear plan of action

The N-VA is therefore proposing a new regionally led New Year’s plan, coordinated by the Regional Security Council and safe.brussels. The strategy combines prevention and enforcement, with one clear goal: to protect emergency workers and restore peace of mind for local residents. “Brussels is not a war zone,” says Vanden Borre, “but without a strong plan, that’s exactly how our streets will continue to look on New Year’s Day.”

Key measures include securing high-risk neighbourhoods in advance, banning the sale and use of fireworks, placing known troublemakers under house arrest, and improving protection for emergency services through surveillance cameras and clear protocols. The plan also calls for the swift identification and prosecution of rioters, zero tolerance for violence against first responders, and a dedicated task force to improve cooperation between police and prosecutors.

According to the N-VA, it’s time to put an end to the idea that New Year’s chaos is somehow normal. “Brussels doesn’t have to be the city where New Year’s Eve equals riots. That only happens when you refuse to act. With this plan, we show that there is another way: clear, firm, and with full respect for our emergency services,” concludes Vanden Borre.