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Brussels declares national emergency amid surge in drug-related shootings
Belgian authorities have declared a national emergency in response to a surge in gun violence and shootings in Brussels linked to drug trafficking gangs. Recent incidents include the use of automatic weapons and a Kalashnikov in an attack on a police station in Anderlecht, as well as shootings in Saint-Gilles and Molenbeek.
To combat the escalation, Brussels mayors have established a unified command structure. Michel Goovaerts, head of the Ixelles police, has been appointed ‘Gold Commander’ to coordinate the city's six police zones, particularly for nighttime operations involving specialized and K9 units.
Federal Interior Minister Bernard Quintin is deploying additional resources, including 40 to 50 extra federal officers for patrols and investigations, and reinforcing special police units and the federal judicial police. Technological measures are also being implemented, such as the deployment of 20 mobile cameras in high-risk districts and the centralization of police dispatching through Safe.brussels by October.
Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden has emphasized that while judicial reinforcements are necessary, the justice system cannot solve the crisis alone, citing the need for social prevention, housing, and poverty reduction to address the root causes of drug-related instability.
Entities
Annelies Verlinden · Bernard Quintin · Boris Dilliès · Brussels · Michel Goovaerts
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Federal police registered 57 shootings in the Brussels-Capital Region between January and July. brusselssignal.eu
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Twenty mobile cameras will be deployed in districts affected by trafficking-related violence. brusselssignal.eu
- [● 4 SOURCES] The current instability is a national emergency. www.europesays.com · brusselssignal.eu · fr.businessam.be · businessam.be
- [● 3 SOURCES] Assailants used automatic weapons and Kalashnikovs in recent shootings, including an attack on a police station. www.europesays.com · brusselssignal.eu · www.upday.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Police interventions will be centralized within the regional security body Safe.brussels by October. fr.businessam.be · businessam.be
- [● 2 SOURCES] Michel Goovaerts has been appointed as ‘Gold Commander’ to oversee six police zones. fr.businessam.be · businessam.be
- [● 2 SOURCES] Forty additional federal police officers will be deployed to Brussels. www.europesays.com · brusselssignal.eu
- [● 2 SOURCES] Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden stated that the justice system cannot solve drug-related violence alone. www.rtl.be · bx1.be