The situation degenerated on Sunday on the sidelines of the Belgian Cup final between Anderlecht at Club Bruges. Brugeois supporters have attacked passers -by and vandalized shops in the Molenbeek district, against a background of racism and Islamophobia. These incidents make the local political class react.
The Belgian Cup final between Anderlecht and the Bruges club was overshadowed by violent incidents that took place in the Molenbeek district, west of Brussels. Brugeois hooligans stood out by attacking passers -by and vandalizing buildings, against a background of racism and Islamophobia.
A group of approximately one hundred individuals, dressed in black, hooded and armed with batons, invaded the street streets, where a large community of Moroccan origin lives in particular. Witnesses report violent assaults against residents and shops, including a tiling store. As they went to the King Baudouin stadium, these hooligans also attacked young people in the neighborhood, who replied by injuring several of their attackers. On the sidelines of the fights, some residents of Molenbeek have rescued hooligans lying on the ground, in particular bringing them water.
“Racailles”, “Vermines”: the political class protests
If the Bruges club has established itself on the ground against Anderlecht (2-1), the club condemned these racist incidents in a press release, specifying that it “will cooperate with the police to identify the people involved”. “Football should in no case be a coverage for violence,” the club told the Belga agency. “Unwitches have shown alleged supporters unleashed in the streets of Brussels and around the stadium before the match.” Police said they had an arrest of more than 60 people in connection with pre-match incidents.
The attackers could come from the North Fanatics 13, ultras of the Bruges club, known for their extreme right positions. “It is very surprising to see that far-right supporters organized, structured and known can walk like that in Brussels, organize attacks on goods and people and that the police were not present,” said Jean-Michel de Waele, specialist in hooliganism, with RTL Info. “Especially since the very location of the attack raises questions, the district of Molenbeek not being on the direct journey towards the stadium.” There was the certain will to seek the problems and to break from Arabic, “continued the sociologist.
Sunday’s clashes quickly took a political turn. President of the Brussels PS, Ahmed Laaouej denounced the “hordes of scum supporters of FC Bruges” Break “Break and attack Brussels residents”. “Other videos and testimonies report wounded and at least one inanimate man. What does the police do in Flanders to prevent these people from harming them and traveling?” “, He wrote on X.
“The vermin who came to dirty Brussels must be punished! How is it that the Police of Bruges did not take the necessary arrangements so that these thugs cannot make the trip. I ask the Minister of the Interior to open an internal investigation,” supported Ridouane Chadid, federal deputy and member of the internal committee. “How is it possible to let racist and violent hooligans sow terror in Molenbeek?” Asks Jamal Ikazban, a socialist Brussels deputy. Christophe de Beukelaer, president of the Brussels engaged, regretted the “horrible spectacle” proposed to Molenbeek and asked for “a radical response” for those “who break, insult, and deliberately injure”.
While innderlecht and the Bruges club must meet on May 18 in the championship in the Belgian capital, the secretary of state Persoons judged that it was time to give a “strong signal”. She asked the clubs and the Pro League to take responsibility, indicating that Bruges supporters should not move. “We really don’t need freedoms in our city, thank you very much.”
