Various parts of Brussels were again plagued by unrest on Thursday afternoon and evening. In Schaerbeek, several minors who gathered following an appeal on social media were administratively arrested.
Following a troublesome New Year's Eve and New Year's Day for emergency services, a small group of people continued to wreak havoc on Thursday. On Place Eugène Verboekhoven in Schaerbeek, the Brussels-North police zone intervened during a small-scale demonstration called for via social media. The reason for the demonstration remains unclear, but the atmosphere was initially tense.
"However, the situation was quickly brought under control," a police spokesperson told Het Laatste Nieuws. "We made 13 arrests." These minors were detained to ensure safety and public order.
Parents came to the square to pick up their children by 18:00. "Because of our presence, we were able to prevent further escalation," the spokesperson concluded.
More fires
Aside from this incident, people started fires again in several places. On Wednesday, the Brussels Fire Brigade was called out 24 times, including for three cars that had been set alight.
Credit: Brussels Fire Brigade
On Thursday, the scale of the damage was much smaller than on 31 December or 1 January. According to the fire brigade, 16 rubbish bins were set on fire, Bruzz reported. The team also attended to four burning scooters at various locations.
Spokesperson Walter Derieuw said police accompanied the firefighters on several occasions.
