Police in Antwerp report that a 62-year-old man was stabbed in his own home in the city’s Merksem district on Monday. Earlier in the day the man had forcibly removed a women’s hijab while she was crossing the road in Merksem's main shopping street.
In a statement released on Thursday evening, the Antwerp Local Police Service said that “On Monday a 20-year-old woman was attacked on a zebra crossing on the Bredabaan. A 62-year-old man had targeted her hijab and violently ripped it of her head. The woman sustained slight injuries”.
A hour later the woman’s 22-year-old brother and 2 friends forced their way into the man’s flat. An argument ensued and the brother stabbed his sister’s assailant, also injuring himself in the process.
Both men were taken to hospital. However, their injuries were not life-threatening. Forensics officers went to the flat to gather evidence.
Both the 62-year-old and the 22-year-old man were questioned by an examining magistrate. They have since been conditionally released from custody.