The mayor of Antwerp, Bart De Wever (N-VA), has placed 27 young people under house arrest on New Year’s Eve.
According to De Standaard, this has been done because “they are known to be repeat offenders and pose a threat to public order.”
The individuals concerned are young people from Antwerp aged between 13 and 30. “The house arrest is in place from 31 December at 17:00 until 1 January at 08:00,” a spokesperson for Bart De Wever confirmed.
“The police will keep a close watch. Whoever is intercepted in the public space, can be administratively arrested and risks a fine of 350 euros.”
“The people who are under house arrest are known to our services for fireworks offences, acts of vandalism and arson,” according to the spokesperson.
“In various cases, they have already disrupted order on New Year’s Eve or committed misdeeds during the recent World Cup,” he explained in the Flemish press.
