Second night of rioting in Brussels
“It was a group of thirty people” says police chief Johan Berckmans “plus 150 onlookers”. “On Friday afternoon after prayers there are a lot of people out on the streets, especially in St-Jans-Molenbeek. There were no more than 15 or 20 stone throwers.”
In the early evening it was relatively quiet when women wearing banned niqabs demonstrated. Then the atmosphere turned nasty as youngsters from outside Molenbeek move in.
Referring to the large police presence a demonstrator shouted: “For one sister they sent a whole army.”
Police chief Johan Berckmans: “There was a ban on gatherings. We allowed the protest to proceed because it was peaceful. At one point we asked them to stop. One of the leaders offered resistance and he was arrested.”
The local mayor, Philippe Moureaux, had a look round. An animated debate ensues about the arrest of a woman in a niqab on Thursday.
“Sir, her undergarments were cut using scissors” claims a woman in a headscarf.
“Are you prepared to be confronted with the woman concerned?”
Mr Moureaux: “The police took photos of her clothes to be sure and then they were torn.”
Friday night's stone throwing led to less damage than on Thursday.