Belgian police made dozens of arrests in Brussels and Liège on Friday following calls for demonstrations in the wake of the death in France of a teenager killed by a police officer.
In Brussels, the law enforcers made around 50 administrative arrests on Friday afternoon and evening, as part of an operation to prevent rioting following calls to gather in the city centre.
"These are preventive arrests of persons with material which, one could suppose, was meant to wreak damage,” Brussels police spokesperson Ilse Van de Keere said.
In Liège, local police said about 30 administrative arrests were made on Friday evening at the Place de la République française following the calls, made on social networks, for a demonstration in the city centre. Liège police carried out identity checks in the early evening at the square. Most of those held were wanted in connection with other investigations. There was no disorder or serious incident, police said.
Several towns in France have been the scene of violence since the death on Tuesday of 17-year-old Nahel, who was killed by a police officer during a traffic check in Nanterre. Over 600 persons were arrested in French cities on Friday night, according to French media.
