The attackers are between 16 and 18 years old
Matheo then refused to comply with the five young people aged between 16 and 18 years old. “I replied that I wouldn’t give them anything and continued walking. One of them then grabbed me by the neck. I pushed him away and left. The five young people chased me down the street. Once I got to City 2, one of them tackled me to the ground and I fell.” says Matheo, who is 1.80 meters tall.After being knocked to the ground, I got up and pushed one of the men away to try to put him at bay. Before I can react, I receive a blow to the face. One of the attackers started hitting me, then the other four followed, also hitting me in the face. Then they pushed me against a wall, and I fell to the ground. At that point, the five continued to kick me in the face.”
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The toll was heavy: three broken teeth, a fractured jaw, a broken nose, two black eyes. “They stole my identity card, my bank card, my meal voucher card, my Stib card, my student card, coins and tobacco. The five men fled. I tried to get up and called 112. From then on, I have no more memories. Apparently I called a friend at 6:07 a.m. to tell her I was in the hospital, but I don’t remember that either. I was transferred to Saint-Jean hospital“, he recalls.
No police officers were present on site at the time. “Three friends arrived at the hospital, but only one person was allowed to stay with me. My friends stayed until 9 a.m., but no police officer came to the hospital to take my statement following this violent attack. At 9:30 a.m., my mother arrived at the hospital. Police officers were present for other incidents. My mother told them about the attack on me. They told him that I could file a complaint at any police station. I then filed a complaint but I still haven’t heard anything.”specifies Matheo.
Lack of police assistance
For his part, Kadir, the father of a friend of the victim, protests at the lack of assistance provided by the police and the insecurity in a capital like Brussels. “Criminals attack a young man without any protection, and no intervention occurs! If the city center is not protected, where could it be? This amounts to asserting that anyone can come to your home, attack you, rob you, rape you, kill you, without any reaction being expected, and that you are finally told that it is normal, that “there are too many people and it is impossible to prosecute all the offenders”, he explains.
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“Why can our citizens and tourists no longer be able to move peacefully through the city center without fear of being attacked and traumatized for life? I am therefore filing a complaint against the Belgian government for failure to assist a person in danger, complicity with the perpetrators of attacks, and for deliberately allowing individuals to attack a citizen without protection. I also denounce the inaction in the face of criminals who have committed attempted murder, disfiguring a citizen and leaving an indelible mark on his life.”concludes Kadir.
