A total of 157 individuals are under protection in Belgium because of possible threats as a result of the work they do. These include politicians, but also police officers and lawyers, the National Crisis Centre confirms. Politicians are guarded by police officers, though private bodyguards also sometimes guard diplomats or business leaders. VRT News has spoken to one of them about his job.
It took special agents barely a few seconds to form a "human shield" around former president Donald Trump, when he was shot at during an election rally in Pennsylvania (USA). Right after the gunshots resounded, they stormed onto the stage to protect the body of the presidential candidate.
"At a moment like that, you are hardly thinking. You react automatically, based on your experience," says Sven. (We are using a fictitious name to protect his identity). Sven is a bodyguard working for a private company, Seris Security. He provides security for industrialists and diplomats.
"You are so focused on your work and weighing up different risks that you don't have time to think about yourself. It's all about your client's safety. I think I would react in the same way in such a situation."
Crisis centre takes the decision
The attack on Donald Trump focuses minds on how politicians are protected also in Belgium. Here, the police are responsible for the security of politicians, more specifically the 'protection directorate' of the federal police. Previously, until the 2016 Brussels Attacks, this was a task for the Belgian state security service.
But it’s not the police who decide who should be protected and how. Belgium’s National Crisis Centre does that. Currently, 157 people are subject to protection measures because of their job. "The protected individuals may be police officers, but also politicians and magistrates," says Yves Stevens of the crisis centre.
33 new files opened this year so far
Since the beginning of the year, 33 new files were opened, involving a total of 60 people. "The number of new dossiers remains fairly constant. In 2021, we saw a spike in the context of a judicial investigation that allowed Sky ECC phones, used by organised criminals, to be decrypted. But since then numbers have normalised once again," Stevens said.
Protection or security can take many forms. Bodyguards or so-called close protection officers are just one avenue. Patrols can also be deployed, or certain places closed off. Just think of the Schuman metro station that is sometimes closed during a European summit. Or the person concerned may be given a contact in the police.
Trump attack: measures unchanged
The crisis centre does not take the decision all alone. First, the threat monitoring body OCAD draws up an overall picture, after which the crisis centre determines which measures are necessary. For European summits, this is even done individually for each head of government.
VRT understands that following the thwarted attack on Donald Trump, no changes have been made to security measures in Belgium. However, there was a review of whether additional security was needed at the US embassy in Brussels.
Not always close protection round-the-clock
In reality, Belgian ministers do not have a bodyguard with them at all times. Just think of politicians cycling to work. At such times there is no protection present.
Even the prime minister is not permanently under observation. "It is known that Herman Van Rompuy, prime minister in 2009, for example, went for a walk with his dog in the Warande Park in Brussels in the evenings, without protection," says a security source. "It happens very much as the individual wishes."
Still, the crisis centre is not always satisfied with how security is implemented in practice. In late May, an email from the crisis centre was leaked to daily Het Nieuwsblad, following a visit to the US by Prime Minister Alexander De Croo. The crisis centre was unhappy that no security officers were on board the plane travelling to the US along with Mr De Croo.
Snipers are rare
When politicians are guarded, the policemen protecting them are armed. In this way they can take out anyone causing a physical threat, if there is no other option.
However, sharpshooters, like the ones we saw on the roof behind Donald Trump’s lectern, are very rare. According to the crisis centre, measures like these are used only in "extreme cases".
Gun use by private firms is also strictly regulated. "That is stipulated in the law on private security. Only when we help secure embassies or European institutions, for example, is weapon use sometimes allowed," says Yannick De Smet, regional director at security firm G4S.
Preparation is all
Mr De Smet often sees things go wrong when preparation is lacking. "The presence of a building at only 140 metres’ distance. That is taken into account," he says thinking of the attack on Donald Trump.
"When Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot in mid-May, there were problems with the cordon. There should also always be sufficient close protection officers on the other side of the cordon and close enough to any possible attacker."
Bodyguard Sven agrees. "Preparation is everything. Ideally, you should go and check on the spot beforehand: where are the emergency exits, who will serve in the restaurant, how far are we from the motorway, the nearest hospital. It's a job in which you're constantly thinking: 'what if?'"