A note has been recovered from the Colruyt store attacked for a second time in the Zuid district of Antwerp on Christmas Eve. The note sates ’Do like XXX Must pay’.
The name that VRT is withholding is that of the manager of a nearby Delhaize store that was also attacked recently.
Fire bomb and accelerants were used in the latest attack that happened at night, when the store was closed, and caused damage to the entrance door. In November a first attack at this store happened towards closing time when three fire bombs were hurled into the store.
The Delhaize store in the nearby Museumstraat was attacked at the beginning of the month. The attacker squirted a liquid onto the store’s floor and set this alight. A suspect from Molenbeek was detained and is still in custody. There is no firm evidence that the attacks on two different stores are linked.
Colruyt staff worried
The Colruyt store reopens today, Boxing Day. Extra security is in place.
‘Since the first attack we have been deploying a security guard during opening hours. We are now going to strengthen security staff numbers,’ says Colruyt’s regional sales director Geert Gillis.
‘Our focus now is mainly on supervising our store staff,’ he stresses. ‘Because this second attack has led to a lot of unrest among them. The intention is to continue serving our customers. Staff who are struggling a bit with situation or worried can be replaced by staff from other branches.’