The Brussels municipality of Forest has banned people from the grass in its park, as many people did not sufficiently respect the measures taken to prevent the further spread of the new coronavirus (Covid-19) last weekend.
Despite signs indicating that it was forbidden to sit on the grass or the benches, many people came together to sit in the Forest Park over the weekend.
"Many people do respect the guidelines of social distance when they are in the public space, and I thank them for that," said Stéphane Roberti, mayor of Forest, in a Facebook post. "But others still do not seem to have understood these guidelines, as we saw during the weekend in Forest Park," he added.
"The community guards do exceptional work by informing everyone, and the police have drawn up official reports, but that does not seem to be enough, while we must do everything we can to curb the spread of the coronavirus. That is why, as of today, March 23rd, it is forbidden to enter the grass of the Forest Park," Roberti said.
Related News
- Hundreds of reports issued as police chase lockdown violators
- 'Unlikely' that Belgium will lift lockdown on 5 April, government virologist says
- Coronavirus: some persistent myths set straight
Additional posters will also be placed in the park, but Roberti hopes for solidarity among the inhabitants of Brussels. "Access to the park should be reserved as a matter of priority for people who do not have a garden and live in small houses. We can never repeat it enough, only by showing solidarity and following the guidelines will we succeed in protecting the staff of the hospitals and ourselves," he added.
A general rule for the entire Brussels Region is in the process of being drawn up, Brussels Minister for the Environment Alain Maron told Het Laatste Nieuws.
Maïthé Chini
The Brussels Times
