New Year’s Eve celebrations’ balance: 7 vehicles were set on fire and several police arrests in Brussels
On New Year’s Eve, the police had to intervene 741 times, compared to the 300 to 400 during a normal night. This happened in the territory of the Brussels-Ixelles area (Brussels, Laeken, Haren, Neder-over -Heembeek and Ixelles), said Tuesday morning Olivier Slosse, spokesman for the local police. Law enforcement officers made 26 administrative arrests and 11 judicial arrests.
In total, seven vehicles were set on fire in the area, namely a scooter on rue de la Crèche in Ixelles, a truck on Rue Masui, and five cars on the Avenue de la Couronne, on the Chausée d’Anvers, quai du Commerce and rue de Soignies.
A large number of interventions involved firecrackers and fireworks. The horizontal use of these in the direction of houses, cars, people and police officers caused disturbances and damages. Garbage cans and containers were also set on fire. The police did not know of any serious injuries among the public. No injuries were reported among the rescue services staff.
Near the fireworks held in front of 50,000 people at the Atomium, 14 people had to be transported to the hospital and 20 received on-site care at the aid stations.
The police estimated that 5,000 people celebrated the New Year on the Grand Place.There was no incident. In terms of the balance sheet for the entire region, Olivier Slosse said that of the 83 firefighters interventions, 52 involved objects and bins on fire and 14 vehicles burned. In addition, 248 ambulance interventions were counted.
