Belgium's police oversight body, Committee P, is currently reviewing 26 formal complaints regarding officer conduct in Brussels. These allegations stem from two weeks of intense demonstrations involving students and trade unions throughout October.

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The catalyst: Austerity measures and education cuts

The unrest in Brussels was driven by significant political tension surrounding federal government austerity measures. According to the report, these economic policies,combined with proposed cuts to French-speaking education, served as the primary trigger for the demonstrations.

On October 9, the situation escalated when trade unions ACV and ABVV organized a nationwide day of action. This movement was joined by various student groups, leading to clashes that involved approximately 1,000 participants. The report states that during these initial protests, demonstrators threw bricks and pyrotechnic devices at law enforcement, while police responded to damage involving public transport buses and street furniture.

Allegations of baton strikes and tear gas use on minors

Human rights organizations have raised serious concerns regarding the specific tactics used by Brussels police against younger protesters. Pierre-Yves Rosset, the director of the Service Droit des Jeunes (SDJ), has highlighted instances where police force appeared disproportionate to the threat.

The SDJ has documented specific injuries among the youth population, including:

  • A minor who sustained a head injury from a baton strike.
  • A young protester who required hospitalization for a broken collarbone after being struck by a baton.

    • In addition to physical strikes, the French-speaking human rights organization Ligue des Droits Humains (LDH) has questioned the frequent deployment of tear gas at demonstrations where children and minors were present.

    A tally of 250 arrests and widespread property damage

    The scale of the police response across the two weeks of unrest resulted in more than 250 total arrests. The first wave of unrest on October 9 saw 110 people taken into custody, with 30 of those being judicial arrests. Of those individuals, 21 were brought before a public prosecutor facing charges such as vandalism, violence , and weapons possession.

    A second, even larger wave of arrests occurred during a youth demonstration on October 17. This specific event resulted in 152 arrests, including 19 judicial arrests, and caused widespread damage to property throughout the city.

    The missing testimonies from the October 17 clashes

    While 26 complaints have been officially filed with Committee P , the full scope of the misconduct allegations remains unclear. the SDJ has noted that while they have gathered testimonies regarding the events of October 9 and 12, reports concerning the October 17 demonstration are still actively coming in.

    It remains to be seen whether the number of formal complaints will rise as more witnesses from the October 17 clashes come forward. furthermore, the report does not clarify if the police have issued a formal response to the specific allegations of violence against minors made by the SDJ and LDH.