“Death to Belgium”, “Bouchez to the stake”, “1 cop = 1 bullet”... These are the shocking inscriptions that still adorn the tunnels of the Small Ring in Brussels, nearly two months after the 13 February demonstration. Acts of vandalism that are neither tolerable nor acceptable, and whose cost could reach… €1.2 million according to the Minister of Mobility's answer. This type of damage puts additional pressure on public finances, to the detriment of other Brussels priorities.
Aurélie Czekalski, MR member of the Brussels Parliament, questioned Minister Elke Van den Brandt (Groen) this week in the Mobility committee: “It is not for Brussels taxpayers to bear this cost. Trade unions cannot remain untouchable indefinitely.”
Despite a complaint filed by the administration, no one has been arrested. Worse still: the unions will not be held liable, due to lack of civil responsibility.
“These are not harmless tags: some messages are aggressive, hateful… Leaving these inscriptions visible normalises verbal violence, delegitimises public action, and damages the image of our Capital”, continued Aurélie Czekalski.
The Brussels MP is calling for clear and concrete measures to prevent a repeat of such incidents, including greater accountability for organisers and repairs paid for by the perpetrators, not citizens. She will continue to advocate for responsible management of public space, where freedom of expression never equates to impunity or vandalism.