Liège prohibits agglomerations to combat vandalism and violence

Starget specific exceptions or authorizations, “the agglomerations of more than three people in the streets or public places of the territory of the city are prohibited”, establishes a police order released by the city council.

“ It is the safety of all those who move around the city”, stressed the socialist mayor Willy Demeyer, clarifying that the measure would come into force early on Thursday, indefinitely.

The police of Liège reported this evening “new serious incidents” in the city centre on the fifth day of protests against budget cuts in education in the French-speaking region of Belgium. In the wave of vandalism, bus shelters and garbage containers were burned and windows shattered.

During the afternoon, hundreds of agitators were identified by security forces.

They were divided into small groups that threw stones or fireworks at the police, despite the means of dispersion employed (water cannons, tear gas).

The main railway station in Liège was soon closed at the end of the afternoon, when a demonstration was approaching the site, while the merchants were directed, through an alert message, to close their establishments, according to the same source.

Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin denounced “acts of extreme gravity” in a message on social network X. “The identified authors will have to answer for their actions before justice. Who leaves, pay! End of story”, added the liberal French-speaking politician.

On Wednesday, there were about 50 arrests in Liège due to public order disturbance, raising the total number of people detained in the city to more than 150 since October 1.

According to police sources, suspects are mostly minors who access summons to widespread demonstrations through message applications. “We are facing the worst consequences of social networks,” said the source.