Molenbeek, a district of Brussels

It seems the law of the jungle is the only law that remains in Brussels, the renowned capital of Modern Multicultural Europe.

Many thanks to Gary Fouse for translating this article from the Flemish daily De Morgen:

European parliamentarians in open letter regarding Brussels violence: “Growing feeling of insecurity in the capital city of the EU”

A number of European Parliamentarians addressed an open letter to the minister of Internal Affairs, Annelies Verlinden (CD&V), and the Brussels minister-president, Rudy Vervoort (PS). They are demanding a strict approach to drug violence and “decisive measures” to guarantee security in the European capital city.

February 17, 2024

The increasing drug violence in our capital city is also raising concern among the members of the European Parliament, according to the letter. They refer not only to the recent shooting in the capital city but also to the terrorist attack in which two Swedish football fans were killed in a shooting in December of last year, in which a worker of the European parliament was wounded.

The signatories to the letter also express concern over the situation in the Brussels South Station, “one of the most important entry ports to the capital city of the EU”. “The situation is further worsened by petty thefts, from telephones to cars, and by the increasing drug-related criminality,” the letter says.

Reference is made to a recent investigation which shows that Brussels ranks 15th in the cities with the highest crime index of 132 cities researched. “These are just some of the disturbing elements of a growing feeling of insecurity among the people who live and work in the capital city of the European Union,” the letter reads.

Extra police personnel

At a press conference earlier this week, Minister Verlinden stressed that this legislature has invested almost 500 million euros more in police services. “The fight against international criminality remains a priority for the federal government and the federal police,” she said. She also referred to recent efforts to recruit and select more police personnel. “With about 50,000 members, the integrated police have more employees than ever, but we also see that the expectations from the population have grown and that the fight against criminality is raising concern within the organizations, of which the crimes committed are often an expression.”