Belgium: Riot in Vilvoorde

Hat tip Gates of Vienna and Vlad Tepes

On Thursday evening, in the Belgian town of Vilvoorde (Flanders-Brabant) a 24-year-old male was arrested after fleeing from police on a moped. The chase ended when he collided with a police van. The next evening, a riot broke out in the town. Four officers were injured and nine people were arrested. The following day (Saturday), the rider of the moped was re-arrested on suspicion of being involved in the riots the night before.

The article below from HLN. Be is translated from Dutch by Fousesquawk.

Caption: Moped rider arrested Saturday afternoon in Vilvoorde

Riots in Vilvoorde: Police arrest the moped rider with whom it all started.

The 24-year-old moped rider who was involved in a controversial collision with a police van on Thursday evening in Vilvoorde, Flemish-Brabant, was arrested again on Saturday afternoon at the station. According to the public prosecutor’s office, he was arrested on suspicion of involvement in the serious riots that played out in the area of the station.

At the moment of his arrest, the man was at the station with a group of young people who wanted to engage in conversations with shopkeepers and residents of the area about the violence of the night before. Several police teams then came to the scene to arrest the young man. He was placed in handcuffs and taken away in the police van.

“I can confirm that this person is under arrest,” says Ingrid Moriau, spokesperson for the public prosecutor’s office of Halle-Vilvoorde. “He was arrested within the framework of the riots that took place yesterday in Vilvoorde. He allegedly participated.” Nothing is yet known as to the nature of his alleged involvement or the evidence. The investigation is ongoing. 

The moped rider was injured in a collision with a police vehicle on the night of Thursday into Friday on Lange Molenstraat (street). That happened when the officers tried to corner him in a chase. Video images from the incident went viral and caused great anger, especially among young people. On Friday night, riots broke out in the area around Vilvoorde station. Nine people were arrested after the fact. Four officers were also injured. The seven suspects who are being referred to the public prosecutor’s office of Halle-Vilvoorde in connection with the riots in Vilvoorde, i.e., five adults and two minors, will be brought before the investigating judge and the juvenile judge, respectively. The moped rider will also be brought to court.