Commenting on the incident which took place in Bois de la Cambre during the "La Boum 2" event on Saturday, Federal Home Affairs Minister Annelies Verlinden said she showed no sympathy for the participants.
She expressed an understanding for young people and for everyone who would like to get together again, hug and meet friends, to do pleasant, spontaneous things.
"On the other hand, I have no sympathy whatsoever for those who take advantage of the coronavirus crisis to kick up a fuss, to provoke the police and to destroy things, we have to put a stop to that," Verlinden told ATV.
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She added that, the longer this situation goes on, the harder it gets, and that "the last metres are always the difficult ones, which is where we are now."
Dank aan iedereen die gevolg heeft gegeven aan de oproep om niet naar het Ter Kamerenbos te gaan. Dank ook aan de politie voor de voorbereiding en het zorgen voor de veiligheid van zovelen. #samentegencorona @zpz_polbru @philippeclose
— Annelies Verlinden (@AnneliesVl) May 2, 2021
Verlinden thanked the police for their efforts during the event and expressed her gratitude to everyone who didn't attend the event at Bois de la Cambre on Twitter.
Thousands of partygoers flocked to Brussels' biggest park on Saturday for the illegal anti-coronavirus party, and the police had to intervene with force as people were not adhering to the coronavirus fighting measures.
The police intervention resulted in 132 people being arrested, of which five had to remain in jail for armed rebellion, threats and the sale of narcotics.
Fifteen activists and thirteen police officers became injured during the event, and 12 people were taken to hospital.
