Belgium will triple the fines for people attending a lockdown party, the college of public prosecutors announced during a press conference on Tuesday.
The fine for people attending a lockdown party will be raised from €250 now to €750. Organisers will risk a fine of €4,000 in future, instead of €750.
By doing so, the prosecutors want to suppress a "clear disregard" for the rules, stressing that it concerns organised illegal parties that blatantly violate the measures, such as the one that took place in Laeken last weekend, which even had a shuttle bus and a professional music installation.
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The fines for small family gatherings such as for Christmas remain at €250, according to the prosecutors. "Those gatherings are still forbidden, of course, but the raised fines will not be targeting them."
From now on, the public prosecutors will also be able to order the seizure of all material used to organise an illegal party.
"Things like sound systems, bar equipment, but also the mobile phones of organisers, the proceeds of the illegal party, or even the cars of the attendees," they said.
Maïthé Chini
The Brussels Times
