Prison staff unions have announced a 24-hour strike from 22:00 on 26 January, following an attack on a prison officer's home in Grâce-Hollogne, Wallonia, on Wednesday morning.
The officer's house was targeted with a Molotov cocktail. This same officer had received threats in 2024. On 2 January, three cars were set on fire in the Haren prison car park.
Additionally, on 23 November in Heers, Limburg, a prison guard's car was set ablaze, accompanied by a threatening letter addressed to his partner.
"In one month, three arson attacks (vehicles and now a staff member's home) have been recorded. It's time to end this form of terror against prison staff," emphasised the General Confederation of Public Services (CGSP) AMiO.
The unions demand urgent and multidisciplinary cooperation from the Minister of Justice, alongside the Home Affairs Minister and the judiciary system, to ensure safe working conditions and a sense of security for prison staff both at work and at home.
An earlier strike at the prison of Saint-Gilles. Credit: Belga / Nils Quintellier
While the prison administration and the Public Prosecutor have not confirmed a link between the Wednesday attack and the officer's profession, CSC union delegate Claudine Coupienne doubts it was accidental due to the recurrence of such attacks.
"The ability to identify prison staff in the field through name badges that display both first and last names jeopardises their safety," said Coupienne. "We have been requesting greater anonymity for officers for years, suggesting that only their last names be displayed. We are told it's impossible, yet special intervention units of the police operate without name badges."
Overall, unions are critical of the working conditions for prison officers, who often work in overcrowded facilities where some inmates sleep on mattresses on the floor or in cells not designed for this purpose.
"We are operating in a constant state of emergency under terrible conditions," lamented Coupienne. "If officers start facing attacks outside of work and live with constant stress, it becomes increasingly difficult to manage."
