Knife-wielding individual overpowered near PM’s office (VIDEO)

‘A man armed with a knife has been overpowered by military police,’ Barend Leyts, director of communications for outgoing Prime Minister Alexander De Croo (Flemish liberal/Open VLD) told news agency Belga. ‘The man was taken to a police station. Military police officers were not injured in the incident.’

Local Brussels police have confirmed that a suspect was detained outside the PM’s office on the Wetstraat, Belgium's political nerve centre. ‘The man allegedly made threats towards the military personnel present. They overpowered the suspect while waiting for our police officers to deal with the individual.’

The man's motives are currently unclear.

PM relieved

Prime Minister De Croo took to social media to express his thanks to the military staff for their quick action. The PM is relieved nobody was injured and will be closely following developments.

Five-way government formation talks up a gear

Not far from the incident, at No. 10 Wetstraat, negotiations on the formation of a new Belgian government resumed today. Around 10 o'clock, the VRT NEWS camera crew, which was in position in the courtyard, was asked to wait inside the building for a while. ‘This is not a drill,’ the security forces present made clear.