Six people were hospitalized after a violent outbreak at a migrant camp in Flagey square on Saturday.
Violence reportedly began when a few people not part of the camp attempted to steal mobile phones from the camp at approximately 06:30. This sparked rising tensions and a subsequent fight.
The Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration’s office, headed by Nicole de Moor (CD&V), reported that two asylum seekers were arrested and subsequently placed in a closed center.
Police close camp
Six were injured in the altercation, with one person critically wounded. Following the incident, police shut down the camp, barring asylum seekers from accessing their tents and possessions.
The looming threat of site evacuation by the Ixelles municipality, without any proposed alternatives for the residents, has raised concerns.
The camp, established on Friday late afternoon, provided shelter for about a hundred migrants with the backing of citizens and organisations. The Stop à la crise association emphasises that these asylum seekers are part of 2,100 individuals who have recently effectively been made homeless by Fedasil.
A spokesperson for the association said that “The incidents spotlight the daily struggles and vulnerabilities of asylum seekers in Brussels, which often go unnoticed.” They stressed that evacuating the Flagey camp would further expose its residents to such dangers.
