It was another restless evening in central Brussels yesterday. Police played a game of cat-and-mouse with several groups of youths centring on the area between the Anspachlaan and the South Station. Police made 12 administrative arrests.
After Sunday's riots before and after the cup match between RSC Anderlecht and Club Brugge, a grim atmosphere reigned in the capital yesterday evening.
Calls appealing for violence had appeared on social media earlier. Certain individuals were keen to cause a riot at the pro-Palestinian protest outside the old stock exchange building.
It is also here that the unrest started. A rally was planned for 7PM. According to police, about 500 people took part in the pro-Palestinian protest, 100 of them were very young people.
The group formed a procession that moved towards the South Station via the Anspachlaan. ‘Several groups of youths started a cat-and-mouse game with the police. The police had to intervene using tear gas to disperse them, ’ the police say.
At the Anderlecht Gate, things got out of hand. Rioters turned against the police that then did everything to disperse the rioters.
The police eventually managed to regain control of the situation. Some 12 administrative arrests were made.
Footage shows the rioters leaving a trail of destruction on the Kleine Ring, the inner city orbital. Several small fires were lit and a bus shelter at the Ninove Gate was completely vandalised.
Earlier incidents on the Nieuwstraat
Earlier in the evening, around 6.30pm, around 20 people - all minors - were detained in the area around the Nieuwstraat, the main commercial street in Brussels.
‘‘Youngsters threw projectiles in a bid to avoid police checks. Their parents were contacted to come and pick them up. Official police reports were drawn up’ police say.