Belgian virologist Marc Van Ranst has received another death threat on social media, this time from the Ostend chef Vincent Florizoone.
On Facebook, Florizoone asked if someone could "put a bullet in Van Ranst, with his scaremongering."
Van Ranst, in turn, shared the post on his Twitter page, and called on the local Ostend police and the federal police to investigate "this incitement to violence."
Wanneer de horeca terug opent ga ik het restaurant waar topchef Vincent Florizoone in de potten roert, best even vermijden wegens te gevaarlijk voor mij.
Ik hoop dat de #lokalepolitieoostende en de @federalepolitie deze oproep tot geweld onderzoekt. pic.twitter.com/aWetkJ0h6n — Marc Van Ranst (@vanranstmarc) January 6, 2021
"When the hospitality industry reopens, it would be best if I avoid the restaurant where top chef Vincent Florizoone cooks, because it is too dangerous for me," Van Ranst commented.
In the meantime, Florizoone, chef of the Thermae Palace hotel restaurant in Ostend, told Het Laatste Nieuws that he already regrets his post.
"I wrote that message on a whim and should not have done that," he said. "Therefore, I apologise to Mr Van Ranst. I don't blame the man for anything, but at the moment I am just frustrated. I have only worked three months in 2020."
Earlier this week, Van Ranst already filed a complaint following a video in which lawyer Michael Verstraeten, spokesperson for Viruswaanzin – which translates to ‘viral madness’ in Dutch – called for the death penalty for virologists.
Maïthé Chini
The Brussels Times
