Belgian and Swedish authorities observed a minute of silence on Wednesday morning at approximately 10:15 to commemorate the victims of last year’s attack on Swedish football supporters in Brussels.
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson were present at the ceremony.
Interim Ministers of the Interior, Annelies Verlinden (CD&V), and Justice, Paul Van Tigchelt (Open VLD), attended alongside Brussels Mayor Philippe Close (PS).
Senior officials including the High Commissioner of the Brussels Agglomeration and the Director-General of Safe.brussels, the city’s security agency, were also in attendance. Michel Goovaerts, the Brussels police chief, was present as well.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Outgoing Prime Minister Alexander De Croo and pictured during a commemoration of the victims of the terrorist attack on 16 October 2023, in Brussels, Wednesday 16 October 2024. Credit: Belga / Eric Lalmand
On 16 October 2023, shortly after 19:00, the attacker opened fire on a taxi near Sainctelette Square.
Two Swedish supporters, in town to watch for their national football team play against Belgium, were killed. A third Swedish supporter was critically injured. Lassoued claimed to be inspired by the terrorist group Islamic State (IS), which later claimed responsibility for the attack.
The remembrance ceremony began around 10:30, accompanied by a cellist. The attending politicians then held a minute of silence to honour the victims. The families of the victims and the taxi driver, along with his wife, were also present.
The prime ministers laid several wreaths at the site of the attack. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson presented the victims’ relatives with an autographed Swedish national football team shirt.
