The Ghent Festival aka the Gentse Feesten runs until Sunday. The Ghent authorities are doing their utmost to keep everybody safe at what is Europe’s largest street party. Efforts are being made to deal with inappropriate or transgressive behaviour and brawls.
Over the past five days, 36 reports of inappropriate or transgressive behaviour were made. That compares to only 11 last year. For the first time, a mobile reporting point is also operating at night.
The Reporting Centre for Inappropriate Behaviour is located near Sint-Jacobs Square. The number of reports it picked up is up.
“The figure is indeed higher, and every incident is one too many,” says Festival Mayor Joris Vandenbroucke. “That is why it is good that we have a reporting centre. In this way, the city of Ghent remains a pioneer in tackling safety issues. Especially now that we also have a mobile reporting centre.”
The reporting centre on the corner of the Vlasmarkt and the Steendam is open every day from 11.30 pm to 8.30 am. The new mobile team also provides support at other festival venues during weekend nights, if organisers or bar staff request it. An evaluation of this mobile reporting centre will take place after the Ghent Festival.
More brawls reported too
The number of fights at the Ghent Festival is up. During the first half of the festival 47 brawls were recorded, compared with 36 during the same period last year. Incidents occurred mainly on and around the Sint-Michiels Bridge.
Matto Langeraert of Ghent police. “At the command centre, we can see incidents on CCTV. Sometimes it’s only a shove between two people, or a serious argument between a couple.”
The city has received fewer complaints about noise nuisance this year.
9 per cent more rubbish has also been collected during the first few days of the Ghent Festival.
770,000 visitors flocked to the city during the first five days. That is 5,000 more than during the first half of last year’s festivities.