Police violence committed at a Brussels police station in 2020, recently revealed on the RTBF show "#Investigation", was the focus of a heated discussion at the Brussels-Midi police college on Monday night.
During the discussion, local residents and members of Ecolo-Groen, Parti Socialiste (PS) and Les Engagés parties sought to understand the context of the violence and collectively denounced "institutional racism" within the police zone.
Footage from 31 May 2020 showed a police officer assaulting two detained individuals, hours apart, while his colleagues did little to intervene. The officer faced several "heavy" disciplinary actions at the time, including financial penalties and reassignment. The judicial authorities opened an investigation based on evidence provided by the police zone, which concluded in a suspension verdict.
Culture of impunity and racism?
Monday's public debate criticised a "culture of impunity and racism within the police institution" and called for disciplinary council members to "take responsibility" and press charges against the officer involved.
Concerns were raised that these violent acts had not been presented to the council when deciding on disciplinary action, calling into question the council’s ability to exercise real democratic control. Participants suggested a "zero tolerance policy" for such acts, beginning with the "immediate dismissal of the officers involved."
Tweet translation: "Shocking images of police brutality. A handcuffed man undergoes physical violence from a police officer. The silence of his colleagues may be just as bad as the man retaining his position as a police officer. Both problems that continue to occur." @Bouboutyassine
The need to deeply reform police services to ensure the safety of all citizens was unanimously stressed by the three parties. They approached the three local mayors – Jean Spinette (Saint-Gilles), Mariam El Hamidine (Forest) and Fabrice Cumps (Anderlecht) – as well as Police Chief Jurgen De Landsheer for support.
"The common thread in all these cases – the tragic death of young Adil, racist comments made by officers in Cureghem, the collective complaint against an officer for racist remarks and this recent revelation of assault – is that none of the officers involved have been discharged," Sofia Bennani (Les Engagés) noted.
Les Engagés also proposed an external investigation committee to examine incidents revealed in the RTBF show and previous cases of racism. They suggested revising current training for officers to include modules on combating racism and the rights of undocumented individuals.
"Institutional racism does not mean all police officers are racist," stressed Shahin Mohammad (Ecolo), but it reflects how "internal training and procedures allow such acts."
Sanctions and whistleblower protections
The PS highlighted the need for prompt sanctions and protection for whistleblowers within the police force.
The mayors called attention to the 'Diversity Plan' already in existence in the area which aims to improve police training. While condemning the facts reported by RTBF, they maintained they would not interfere with a judicial decision, respecting the "strict separation of powers."
A banner denouncing police violence pictured in the centre of Anderlecht, Brussels, Friday 27 November 2020. Police were mobilised to contain unrest as people gathered to commemorate 19-year-old Adil, who died in April after colliding with a police van when he was riding away from a Covid-19 control. Credit: Belga
They also reiterated that the current laws on police disciplinary procedures need to be revised to streamline the internal management of such cases.
Police Chief De Landsheer vowed to take "the various requests seriously", saying that "the journey is still long" though denying that there is impunity within the police zone.
