Five police officers were injured in an altercation following a traffic check in the Brussels neighbourhood of Molenbeek-Saint-Jean on Monday.
While the Brussels public prosecutor's office confirmed that an incident took place but said they could not comment further, a video of the attack has appeared online.
A total of five police officers from the Brussels West zone were injured in the altercation, reported Belga News Agency.
Three of them were seriously injured, while the other two sustained minor injuries, according to the Brussels public prosecutor's office.
The man who injured the officers was handed over to the public prosecutor.
Molenbeek Vie. pic.twitter.com/klMG6sxv6T
— pierrebxl (@pierrebxl) September 20, 2021
The incident occurred on Monday morning, at around 10:00 AM, on the corner of the Chaussée de Gand and Rue Alphonse Vandenpeereboom in Molenbeek-Saint-Jean.
“A motorcycle police officer proceeded to check a vehicle that was parked illegally,” said public prosecutor Sarah Durant.
“During the check it appeared that the vehicle's documents were not in order. The driver of the vehicle refused to cooperate.”
The police officer requested assistance from other teams, but when the other patrols arrived, the driver was very aggressive, according to the public prosecutor.
“He kicked the police officers involved several times and fled. The anti-robbery brigade, which came to the rescue, was finally able to intercept the driver a bit further along the Chaussée de Gand, in the direction of Rue des Etangs Noirs.”
Three police officers were taken to hospital seriously injured but were able to leave after being treated.
All five police officers are temporarily off duty.
UPDATE: On Tuesday, the public prosecutor of Brussels requested an examining magistrate for the offences of assault and battery with work incapacity towards police officers, unarmed resistance and threats by gestures or symbols of an attack on persons punishable by a criminal penalty.
The Brussels Times
