Antwerp Mayor Bart De Wever launched a verbal attack on the identity of the joyriders who stole an ambulance in the Luchtbal district last weekend.
"It’s a sad fact," De Wever lamented on Radio 1’s ‘The Morning’ show on Tuesday, "This is far from unique. For too many, the rules don’t apply."
The mayor highlighted increasing hi-jinx and aggression directed towards authority figures. He blamed the issue on a particular demographic – primarily non-European immigrant youths, raised in challenging circumstances often linked to criminal organisations.
"We recognised them straightaway from the CCTV footage," remarked De Wever. He described the offenders as "problematic youths" – regular offenders with long police records, often linked to drug-related activities.
De Wever calls for decisive action in terms of justice. "What choice do we have when every boundary is crossed," he asked rhetorically.
As the Mayor of Antwerp, he feels the pressing responsibility for his staff’s safety. He advocates zero-tolerance, with expedited justice: "I can’t speak about federal negotiations, but we agreed that justice must be reinforced."
The mayor also wants to introduce mandatory citizen internships. Pupils in the third grade would partake in activities such as street cleaning, aiming to foster respect for the workforce.
However, De Wever acknowledges that this might not reach the "problematic youths" causing the most concern.
