Police officers and members of the public across Belgium have paid tribute to Thomas Monjoie, the police officer stabbed to death in Schaarbeek (Brussels) last week. While thousands of people, many of whom police officers, gathered outside the funeral parlour in Waremme where the 29-year-old’s funeral service was held on Friday morning, elsewhere guards of honour totalling several kilometres in length were held at numerous locations the length and breadth of the country.
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Kilometres-long guard of honour and a minute’s silence as police officer killed in Schaarbeek stabbing is laid to rest
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A minute’s silence was also observed at 11am on Friday as a mark of respect for a man killed while doing his job. Inside the funeral parlour Thomas Monjoie’s family and friends gathered to say a final farewell. The thousands of people that had gathered outside were able to follow the funeral ceremony on two large screens.
During the ceremony, Thomas Monjoie's father said, "We often said to you, Mum and Dad are here, don't be afraid'. Since Thursday, November 10, Mum and Dad have been afraid. Afraid of life without you."
Thomas Monjoie’s girlfriend told of all the many happy moments that they had spent together.
The ceremony ended with testimonies from some of Thomas Monjoie’s colleagues that he had befriended while serving with the Brussels North Local Police Service. "To attack you is to attack all of us", one colleague said. Another colleague ended his eulogy with a quote: "We travel together, we die together, we rise together: Brigade 6 and friends for life".
More 2,000 police officers
Many hundreds of police officers from all over Belgium travelled to Waremme for the funeral. By the time the funeral started more than 2,000 police officers had gathered outside the funeral parlour. They followed the service on two large screens. After the ceremony, they formed an impressive guard of honour as a tribute to their deceased colleague.