Since the beginning of the month, Antwerp police have arrested 432 people, who were already known for causing a public nuisance, on one or more occasions. 615 arrests were made in all. The arrests are the result of a controversial measure introduced by the city council cabinet comprising Flemish nationalist N-VA and socialist Vooruit – in collaboration with the police. Just over half of the arrests took place in the Antwerp North District. Opposition parties Communist PVDA, ecologist Groen and Christian democrat CD&V have levelled fierce criticism at the measure.
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Antwerp police have already arrested 432 known troublemakers since start of crackdown
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At the beginning of this month, at the mayor’s request, Antwerp police tightened their approach to known troublemakers. Officers can now arrest them more quickly and hold them in custody for up to 12 hours, even if they are not causing a disturbance at that moment.
The measure applies primarily to Antwerp North, which had previously been designated by the city as a ‘neighbourhood requiring special attention’. When it was launched, the city and police’s approach faced fierce criticism from academics, opposition parties and the Human Rights League, even triggering for street protests.
At the city council meeting on Monday evening, Antwerp’s city cabinet presented the initial figures and assessment. In the core area of Antwerp North, the police carried out 336 administrative arrests of people whom the city and the police refer to as ‘claimers’ in Dutch.
Several people were arrested multiple times, the mayor’s office added. In Antwerp North alone, 56 people have been arrested more than five times in the past year. Seven of them have even been arrested at least 15 times.
Across the city as a whole, there were a total of 615 arrests involving 432 different individuals. Around a quarter of them are residing in our country illegally.
Locals welcome approach
At the city council meeting, Mayor Els van Doesburg (N-VA) defended the approach. She quoted from messages from grateful local residents.
“As a child, I was never able to play outside without a care or walk to school on my own. I’ll never get that time back. Since the measures were introduced, however, my three-year-old nephew has been able to experience that freedom,” Van Doesburg quoted.
“What’s more, I haven’t had to miss a single morning’s lesson because of fights, and this week I was even able to have a cup of coffee with my neighbour on my own doorstep for the first time.”
More figures
Nathalie van Baren (N-VA), the alderwoman for Social Affairs, also presented figures. According to her, there has been no decline in the number of visitors to reception centres. She counters criticism from the left that people in need are slipping through the cracks of the support system as a result of the strict approach.
Condemned by most opposition parties
According to the largest opposition party, the Communist PVDA, the roundups of those causing a nuisance are unlawful and too little is being done to help them.
“All you want to do is sweep the problems under the carpet rather than solve them,” says Jos D’Haese (PVDA). “But you know full well that those people will simply go somewhere else, and that the 12 hours you lock them up will not have solved a single thing. Your approach is as unlawful as it gets.”
Criticism was also levelled at socialist Vooruit, Flemish nationalist N-VA’s coalition partner. “How much longer are you going to put up with this? You say: we’re pleased that there’s been a change of course. And then the mayor comes along with a straight face and says: There’s been no change of course.”
Ecologist Groen and Christian democrat CD&V were also critical of the temporary arrests of those causing a nuisance. The measure did, however, receive the support of the other opposition party, far right Vlaams Belang.