The question of public safety is again on the agenda in Brussels, this time making headlines as a spate of apparent gang disputes ended with a fatal shooting on Wednesday morning.
The violence, thought to be linked to the drug trade, is hardly unprecedented in Belgium: with the port of Antwerp now recognised as the cocaine hub of Europe, the effort by criminal organisations to control the lucrative trade has brought a stream of shootings, bombings, and intimidation tactics. Police recently intercepted a van carrying seven heavily armed men, thought to be on a mission to recover a major drug shipment that had been seized by authorities.
Certain neighbourhoods in Antwerp have been hit by a series of explosive attacks – at grave public cost. Residents of the Flemish city have spoken of the sense of impunity that has seen gangs turn to increasingly lethal shows of force to assert their influence.
The same indifference is now being felt in Brussels, as the latest incidents display little regard for police. Locals in affected areas have long sounded the alarm about drug dealers operating in plain sight. It's not only that gangs feel above the law, there is a growing sense that this activity has been allowed to take root as authorities pass the buck.
Such was the case with security concerns surrounding Midi Station. The area became the focus of national debate about how to tackle drug use, homelessness, and intimidation. The "solutions" included installing a police station on-site and dispersing rough sleepers towards the city's overwhelmed shelters.
Moving the problem elsewhere rather than tackling the fundamentals seems a distinctly Belgian strategy, with the layers of municipal, regional and federal responsibilities providing opportunities to shift blame rather than implement measures that will have a lasting effect. When will it end?
Let @Orlando_tbt know.
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