Police have detained 3 suspects in connection with the violence that took place ahead of the Belgian Cup Final on 4 May. The 3 Club Brugge supporters are suspected of deliberately causing actual bodily harm during an attack on a DIY store in the Brussels municipality of Sint-Jans-Molenbeek. 1 of those detained is also suspected of hate crime.
On Sunday 4 May a large group of Club Brugge supporters made their way on foot from the centre of Brussels to the King Boudewijn Stadium in the city’s Laken district. En route to the stadium they passed through part of Sint-Jans-Molenbeek, a municipality with a large Muslim population.
There some of the group chanted racist slogans and engaged in acts of wanten vandalism and violence. A DIY store was attacked and its 73-year-old proprietor was so badly injured that he was hopitalised. The man’s son was also physically assaulted by hooligans that trashed the family business. Footage of the incident was spread on social media and after the game local Brussels youths indiscriminately took vengeance on Club Brugge fans that were making their way home from the stadium. One supporter was stabbed outside Brussels South Station.
On Tuesday the prosecutor’s office said that “3 people have been questioned by the examining magistrate in connection with the events of 4 May”.
Hate crime
The prosecutor’s office says that 2 of those detained are suspected of “deliberately causing actual bodily harm with malice of forethought resulting in the victim being rendered unable to work”. The 3rd suspect is accused of the same crime but aggravated by the fact that the motive was allegedly hate.
The 3 suspects have all been charged. The first 2 have been released on bail, the 3rd suspect is still in custody. He will appear before magistrates at a remand hearing to be held on Friday.