Trade unions ACOD, VSOA, and ACV Public Services have been protesting escalating prison violence outside the Finance Tower in Brussels since Monday morning.
The demonstration outside the Justice Ministry is to highlight escalating violence in Belgian prisons. A 24-hour strike by prison staff also began at 22:00 on Thursday.
Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden (CD&V) has scheduled a meeting with the unions at around 12:30 to discuss the situation.
The strike and protest were triggered by several violent incidents in recent weeks and months. Earlier this month, a Molotov cocktail was thrown at the private vehicle of a guard from Haren prison in Brussels. Two more violent incidents occurred last weekend in the prisons of Haren and Andenne in Namur.
'Unacceptable'
The unions are demanding concrete solutions from the Federal Government and Minister Verlinden. Union representative Robby De Kaey (ACOD) stated that the situation cannot continue as it is.
"We have been calling for decisive actions to tackle the violence for a long time but our concerns have not been addressed," he said. "It is unacceptable that vehicles are being set on fire, staff are being intimidated and Molotov cocktails are thrown at homes."
De Kaey attributes the incidents to international drug trafficking orchestrated from within the prisons. "This is about organised crime inside the prison and banditry outside."
He fears that more prison staff will quit their jobs. "Family members and partners are telling the guards that they can earn money elsewhere," he said, adding that this would only worsen the existing staff shortages in the prison system.
