Twelve people will go on trial in Antwerp on Friday for organising and taking part in an illegal rave on a military base.
The 12 individuals, aged between 20 and 41 years, will appear before the Antwerp Correctional Court on Friday. These include the organisers and suppliers of equipment such as music and bar installations.
The rave took place on the military base Groot Schietveld, on the border between Brecht and Wuustwezel in Flanders, in summer 2023.
Hundreds of partygoers entered the base during on the night of 7 July to attend the unauthorised rave. The organisers only disclosed the exact location at the last moment via social media groups in order to mislead authorities. Warning signs, fences and barriers at the military site failed to dissuade the attendees.
The site is considered very dangerous as it is used for shooting exercises, explosive training and the dismantling of explosives by the DOVO bomb disposal unit. There could be unexploded wartime munitions, and there was a potential fire hazard.
Crisis plan, fines and prison time
A provincial crisis management plan was activated to end the illegal party as safely as possible. Many attendees left the site spontaneously during the morning. Everyone present and their vehicles were inspected, and over 200 attendees were offered an out-of-court settlement of €150.
The 12 on trial face charges of breaching notification and duty of care obligations, forming a gang, trespassing on a military domain, illegal labour and failure to register in the 'Crossroads Bank for Enterprises', the national business registry.
The penalties for these offenses range from between one month and two years in prison as well as fines.
