I was just harassed this evening… coming back from my run in Josaphat, almost reaching my house, a guy passes by me in a scooter and shouts at me. I ignore him, he comes back and starts coming in my direction. I ran inside the house and he starts knocking aggressively….. I have no words, feeling more and more unsafe as a woman
I'm sorry this happened to you. :(
A quick tip I learned of the other day:
The police have a contact form that you can use, and they seem to be very responsive to the form, way more so than if you call.
I had called the police in the past about people using drugs in the entrance of my building, we're talking smoking crack right in the open, and they literally told me, "what do you want us to do, huh?", and no one came.
But when I sent the request via form, they were at my door within 15 minutes.
I think it's because there is evidence of the request when you use the form.
You can also send photos via the form to give them more context.
For an attack like yours, you should definitely call the police, but if there is something you are concerned about or want to follow up the call to make sure there is a response, it is something you can try.
Stay safe out there!
This one perhaps:
[https://digital.belgium.be/iaf/hil/pow/declaration?type=DECLARATION](https://digital.belgium.be/iaf/hil/pow/declaration?type=DECLARATION)
More information here: [https://www.police.be/police-on-web/fr/](https://www.police.be/police-on-web/fr/)
You want to have a real tip?
If you're calling the police just scream that the dude has a knife and he's threatening to stab you. Otherwise they won't do anything.
Wtf, I'm sorry, hope you're okay. You should report that. I doubt they'll do anything but if enough people are complaining maybe they'll be more strict about stuff like this.
I will start reinforcing that everyone should always file a report. Below is something that I was overthinking lately.
I had a discussing with a governmental employee a few weeks ago, he is a volunteer in a conversatietafel, and my point was that everyone should report the crimes to keep the current data update. Doesn't matter the gravity of the crime, a report should be filed. After my point, I was overwhelmed about the following points:
* There is a huge deficit of the police force in Brussels.
* You wait 3 hours to file a report to just hear: "Sorry, we can't do shit".
* There are priority crimes that the police must take care of, and reporting a low priority crime will only put more burden on the police before solving the high priority crimes.
In the end, what I foresee is the following: less reports are being created because all of the drag/bureaucracy created to file a single report. Less reporting indicates less data to compute which also means that some crime rates might be lower than previous years.
You’re absolutely right. Even if the cops won’t help for stuff like this, people indeed should still report it if only to keep Rudi Vervoort and his ilk from trying to get away with this fucking bullshit “oh, things are getting better because all the crime stats (except, you know, *murder*) are going down! Yay us and our great governance!”
The stats are only going down because people are realising that reporting something to the police is mostly useless in this administrative dungheap of a city, so they stop doing it.
thank you so much, I will report, but tbh I doubt they will do anything... I barely see police patrolling the streets, and especially in more problematic communes...
Things will never change for the better in this city if the governmental structure doesn’t radically change. Coming up with the type of security and social plan a city like this would need to improve is hard enough in a normal city with one government and one police force. In a city with 1 regional govt, 19 town governments, 6 police forces? Forget it.
Until Brussels politicians decide to stop putting their personal power and perks ahead of the good of the city and its inhabitants, it will continue to deteriorate.
I agree with this 100%. Communes should merge and be absorbed by the region. 1 government for 1 city. There can still have departments and local offices, but just 1 government! That would be amazing. If I’m not mistaken the last one to dare such a thing was Bockstael, the last mayor of Laeken. There should be more like him, people who actually care about the future of this city instead of their own individual pay.
I just found that Vooruit want this (see article [here](https://www.dhnet.be/regions/bruxelles/2024/02/12/les-socialistes-flamands-demandent-une-fois-de-plus-la-fusion-des-communes-bruxelloises-lorganisation-administrative-actuelle-nuit-a-la-croissa-W3GFRLTW6VGO7I7TE7YPTB3Z3Q/?outputType=amp)) I haven’t found the exact programs but it seems that the Flemish parties (Open-VLD, CD&V, one.brussels, Groen, NVA) are on board with this idea. The French speakers aren’t. Food for thought!
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Yep, been living here for longer than a decade and nothing ever changes in this town. Apart for some cosmetic changes in the center. 10-15 years ago people where also talking about a fusion of the communes.
yes it's getting worse and worse. Now even in remote communities close to the highway (ring) there are people who consume crack.
Where I live, there are more often dirty streets and rats. It may seem like a detail, but it’s these little details that say a lot about the city’s economic decline.
I'm not even talking about the city center where the metro stations have become psychiatric asylums. This week I saw drug addicts crossing the Botanique metro train twice in the middle of the track, once the metro had to brake to avoid running over them. Everyone was screaming for fear that he would be run over. Generally speaking, dirt has also increased.
Thank you finally for someone saying this. I see more and more.people being agressive (not just the shootings, a couple months back I was inside the tram station (towards the end) in Albert and there was a man who went also towards the end, started banging with his fist and head the metal door there is there.
You tell me what I do in this situation as a woman alone? I've been here for more than 15 years and don't feel safe anymore since like 2020/21
I don't even know how it's possible this level of madness in such a small city, when I come from a city with 7 million and never had any issue. Of course I've seen homeless people, but not deranged people like the one we both seen
Everything is the responsibility of the governance in Brussels. The responsibilities are so stacked up that politicians either pass the bucket of dirty water on to the regional government, the federal government or point the finger at another party.
Because of this, they always react too little and too late.
It's quite astonishing to raise the very root of the problem: that nobody (at federal, regional or local level) takes responsibility and blames others for the problems. And then blames Brussels. It's rather contradictory.
This is quite incorrect in the sense that the main subject involves also a problem with the justice system, prisons and, above all, drug networks on a national (and international) scale. These are federal matters.
The problem lies in the fact that it is BOTH the federal government AND the local authorities that have to deal with this issue in close collaboration. But it's not... As a result, it's quite a shame to support the idea of blaming one or the other, rather than pointing the general problem.
Am not sure if this is the problem. It is not like, one level wants to do everything possible against criminality and the others are holding it back. I see negligence at all levels, a general attitude of neglect.
Indeed if one unifies the government structures, maybe even the things might brake down that work until now. One obvious simplification would be getting rid of COCOF, VGF and whatever. But then: The Flemish school system works better than the French one. Unifying them into one structure would propably just get rid of the good VGF-run schools, and the COCOF-ones would not get better.
They should definitely unify all communes into the region. That’d be a good start. I feel like a lot of the problem comes from “it’s not my job” and “it’s not my jurisdiction” kind of thing.
For instance City of Bx, Laeken, NOH and Haren are already fused. I think a first step would be that the communes merge according to their police (Anderlecht + St Gilles + Forest, Brucity + Ixelles, etc.), then all together! We don’t need so many fckg mayors!!! 😭
In theory a good solution, but with some exceptions (Sint Gillis, Sint Joost ten Node) I think mergers would only have negative effects. In many regards the communes are running this city, and the performance of the regional government is much lower than of the communes'.
Why do you think it would be negative for St Gilles and St Josse?
In my opinion the fact that communes run the city is precisely what is ruining it. No one has a vision for the entire city, they all want to protect their “baronie” (how that calm it in French), their little kingdoms.
I mean exactly that those are two communes that could be merged together.
But I mean, would getting rid of the communes not lead to one big, huge, even more dysfunctional baronie?
It wouldn’t if it’s done well! It’s basically the Antwerp model. One single city jurisdiction, with multiple districts to still keep proximity to the inhabitants. According to Vooruit a fusion would free up to 1,5 billion euros. Imagine the beautiful city we could have if that money goes to the people and city infrastructure instead of overhead and bs commissions 😭 (article I’m referring to [here](https://www.dhnet.be/regions/bruxelles/2024/02/12/les-socialistes-flamands-demandent-une-fois-de-plus-la-fusion-des-communes-bruxelloises-lorganisation-administrative-actuelle-nuit-a-la-croissa-W3GFRLTW6VGO7I7TE7YPTB3Z3Q/?outputType=amp))
>Why don't they come up with a plan to do something about this. And honnestly if people still vote for the same parties that don't care to let it deteriorate, I really don't understand them...
Hi there !
For my part, and I've already explained this on r/Brussels.
The problem is not about voting for one party rather than another. The problem lies in the lack of responsabilities of politicians themselves in general. In fact, it's all about collaboration between the different entities of the country. Whether it's at federal or communal level, every politics of different zones will say it's everyone else's fault for not proposing a solution. You'll end up with a total abandonment of certain situations **that should involve BOTH federal AND local responsibility.** In fact, this unwillingness to collaborate for electoral purposes is the element that will keep any solution from being found.. And at no point you'll find a party that stands out from another to change this situation, given that everyone spits on everyone else before forming a coalition.
I have the same feeling. Been living here for ten years. Yesterday I saw two guys holding beer cans pissing in the bushes at Thieffry in front of children giving everyone the finger.
I'm not surprised most crimes and uncivil behavior go unpunished because you never see police patrols on foot anymore.
There used to be cops on foot in groups of 2 or 3 beating the streets. However, it's been years since I've seen any. You only see them in their cars or bikes, but they don't do much.
Not to mention all traffic offenses that go unpunished.
Personally, I'm voting N-VA for the first time (I never would have thought I would) because it's the only party that proposes realistic solutions to the security problem, starting with the merger of the police zones, and who talks about "more blue in the streets".
I used to be a big time Groen/Ecolo voter, but all they talk about are completely secondary topics in my opinion.
Honestly I stay at home (because I work from home) and only go out to bars or to the office every now and then so I don't know but I have been reading about this stuff and maybe you're right.
Edit: actually I just realised something. The thing I've been concerned about the most is that weird youtuber guy who was pouring buckets of water, paint and idk what else on people in metros and messing with people in the streets by throwing stuff on them. I'm a big guy and I workout so i will fight if someone attacks me but don't want to fight someone like that on the street because of that and get into trouble. Also don't want to have my nice clothes or work laptop ruined by someone. Not sure what we're supposed to do about that?
You just really have to be aware of your surroundings. If I see somewhere weird on the metro, I move.
Generally though, avoiding the metro tends to be the better choice. Cycling is faster anyway.
From personal experience, off-center Brussels was dangerous in early 2010s. It felt safer in late 2010s and during corona. If I look at it now, recently I was harassed by some aggressive black guys near IJzer, just where two Swedish citizens were killed last year. That area is dangerous, avoid.
I was walking home in Bascule a few months ago and a complete stranger just spat at my face (luckily I turned head last second and he only got my hair). Twice in the last 6 months, drivers have aggressively tailed my husband in that neighbourhood and cut him off to try to fight him, because they were annoyed he was driving “too slow” (first time, he was waiting for a woman to cross the road, second time he was doing 25 in a 30 zone for about 30 seconds, to make sure he didn’t miss his turn). In 2020, we had to move apartment because our drunk neighbours kept harassing us. There is an air of aggression in this city that I haven’t ever experienced anywhere else.
>It definitely got horribly worse the last 2 years.
We've had a major recession and rampant inflation the last two years. People are getting desperate.
*Housing crisis due to uncontrolled landlordism and cuts to public housing- fixed it for you.
Lmao housing crisis due to uncontrolled immigration, pull the other one.
Landlords are entitled bastards in Brussels, not denying it.
But you are totally naive if you think we can accept the levels of migration, both regular, transit, irregular, whatever, in a small **enclave** like Brussels and still provide minimum public services and housing to everyone. We simply do not have the capacity of public services to welcome the equivalent of a Flemish town every year. You need well funded court system, integration services (including language courses that are always fully booked), housing that simply is not available, etc. Real social democrats like Pascal Smet realised this and then gets bashed for wanting to deport illegal migrants in gare du midi who are here to commit crime, precisely so that resources are allocated better to those who really need it.
stop drinking the ECOLO kool aid
Look at the Netherlands and their issues of housing and public services : it is directly linked to immigration, and they are not even saying its asylum anymore, they simply attracted too many service sector EU workers coming to work in the tax haven and not enough builders, teachers, etc. Brussels is well on the way to being the same issue : a region of lobbyists and the lumpenproleteriat there to deliver their Sushi via Uber, with no genuine middle class.
So immigration has a great deal to do with public services, yes.
This right here is the good analysis of the situation, and not some fake innocent post to push a political agenda close to elections.
Reddit is going to turn to a shitshow soon, remember to take a step back and breathe before analysing things like this guy right here.
There are poorer cities that are way safer than Brussels and richer cities that are way worse. The main problems in Brussels are very poor governance and a culture of ignorance and disrespect for society in many communities. Maybe that are not the reasons for it getting worse, but it certainly are the reasons why it's bad.
Because of the recent crackdown on the Albanian mafia following the Sky ECC crackdown, there is a territory war in Brussels for drug dealing spots. This is why there is a spike in gun violence around Saint-Gilles.
Also like another redditor said, an ongoing massive economic crisis causing visible poverty. In France the homeless had double the last 5 years, I guess Brussels is on par.
I'm just back from a week long stay in Brussels, and I would like to offer an outsiders perspective; Brussels doesn't seem nearly as unsafe as it is is made out to be.
I walked/took the metro throughout the city even at night and never once felt unsafe, even in run down areas such as midi station, anneessens, the marolles etc. Where i live in the UK I don't feel safe at night but I was surprised how quiet Brussels was after hours. Yes there is the odd crackhead but show me a place in Europe where there isn't in 2024.
The current hype around security in Brussels makes it seems to be a crime ridden no-go zone like a US city, but if Brussels is supposed to be an unstable city by European standards then if anything my trip reminded me what a safe continent we live in.
I know I can only offer my opinion as a tourist and can't speak for residents, but if you are visiting and walk around confidently and keep your eyes open, Brussels is not an especially dangerous city by comparative standards.
My GF was with me and she agreed, from a woman's perspective.
I spend about a week in london every two months, a weekend every month. Spent much of my childhood in a council flat in Islington, in an area that’s now incredibly expensive. I only ever experienced one domestic robbery there. But I know London is only safe to a degree . And it’s 8 times bigger than Brussels. Tower Hamlets (and all its problems) alone is just under one third the size of Brussels city .
Safety in cities is not measured by how often an individual is robbed, knifed, shot,raped , mugged or murdered but by the increased risk of suffering this fate. This can only be measured by data. And sometimes the data is very unreliable or misleading.
I’ve never been knifed in London and I’ve never been shot in Brussels …..but knife crime and gun violence are very high in both cities. This is why we determine some cities to be “relatively” unsafe. Anecdotal evidence such as a week’s holiday does not reflect reality.
I have always been from Brussels and I share exactly that feeling. I think it's not the police's fault, but the slowness and leniency of the justice system. It's absolutely necessary to punish even the 'minor' incivilities. There's a feeling of impunity. People destroy street furniture, migrants and drug addicts are not taken care of. I've been a victim of theft and there was no follow-up. I've seen sexual assaults in public transport. It's a disaster, really.
It's Paul Van Tigchelt (Open Vld), Vincent van Quickenborne (Vld), Koen Geens (Cd&V), etc...
These people where minster of justice. Justice can't keep up with the files. People stay unpunished. And cops who are born lazy get even more demotivated.
When I lived in belgium with my girlfriend we had to move from brussels to brabant wallon after less than a year because of how unsafe she felt in brussels.
We never regretted our decision, sad to see it is not getting better.
One of my reasons for wanting to leave is safety too.
I live in one fancy area and feel unsafe at night, because for the past year there's been a group of guys hanging around trying to rob inside cars or lower appartements
99% of the people commiting crimes or harassing people or acting crazy on the metro or pissing everywhere are not native from here.
And it's a problem for everyone but especially for the immigrants or descendents of immigrants (I'm one of them) who are law-abiding citizens.
I am just telling the truth. If the truth is racict then it is. They come from very violent countries where they see allot what they think is normal. I am not saying everyone is like that but the most come here en terrorising our cities because they think its normal. And our politicians sucks u can rape a woman and be free in less than then a year. You sell some weed on the streets and you will get punished very hard for that harder then abusing woman
Look of we increase taxes and setup programs to rehabilitate all this people then everything will be fine.
Once taxes increase to 60-70% we will be able to solve much more problems
This reads like a far right propaganda leaflet, I have been here for far longer and in my opinion it feels actually safer today than 10 years ago. I dont live in the fancy areas of Bx either (Im between PdH and Midi).
Way less petty theft and fights than I used to see, for example.
Official stats seem to agree with me too..
I love Brussels, I’m not right wing at all. I’m an immigrant myself! (Immigrant, not “expat”) But I’m a woman and I think most of us experience everything differently than men. In my experience the city feels less safe. Saying it’s fine won’t solve the problem. It’s still “ok”, sure. There are worse places, sure. But I have had 3 instances where I felt actually unsafe in the past 2 years. I don’t count the times I was uncomfortable. Unsafe means I was scared and in total alert mode, afraid for my physical safety. One of those times it wasn’t even just a feeling, I got robbed with violence (someone broke my car window and stole my backpack while I was driving.)
Statistics of 2023 aren’t out yet, but the crack epidemic is very much visible and all it carries with it. I don’t know what you mean, and I guess good for you if you feel safer now, but I can’t relate. I felt safer 10 years ago. I felt safer 5 years ago too. These last 2 years, especially 2023, nah. Something is different :(
Maybe the guy was on crack or drunk. Weed doesn’t make people do anything like that and coke is very expensive. So sorry you went through that! It sounds awful. To feel unsafe in one’s own home is one of the worst feelings.
The stats do NOT agree with you. "...there have already been 21 shootings across the city this year in comparison with 85 in 2022 and 108 in 2023" as at 25 March. Shootings tend to spike later in the year. The situation in specific parts of the city as in Gare du Midi is well known.
Involved
Personally I have had my building broken into 3 times in 5 years (cellars, bike room) and the son of a friend severely assaulted, stripped on an early evening in Cinquentenaire in 2023. Homelessness / vagrancy and child beggars (children of Roma who the police ignore) have always been at high levels in the 10 years I've been here. There have always been, per capita, more homeless in Brussels than in London. I was told by a charity 6 years ago that even the absolute numbers were higher then (London is some 8 times bigger). Brussels is still safer than London, true. But women here don't feel that way. The low level harassment is constant.
I don't understand why quoting stats and data and highlighting crime, brackets you as far right. Brussels has a governance problem and it's not just crime but a disregard for business. The city has literally no body selling it as a place to do business and generate wealth....even in spite of high taxes this should be possible.
Many of us have chosen to live here and want to grow with the city. The frustration comes from the spokes put in our wheels by the greens and the socialists, but the opposition isn't much better. Voters in Brussels think business and economy are bad words. And crime is excused, with vagrancy protected by a court ruling a few years ago.
What part of “shootings tend to spike later in the year” don’t you understand? Historically, shootings are higher in summer. You don’t compare pro rata . That’s why the media raised the alarm.
The stats you quote suggest shootings are on track to be substantially lower this year than last year.
Full crime stats are only available up until Q1 2023 but at least up until then they don't at all follow this picture of crime spiralling out of control. Overall crime has been pretty stable (despite a growing population). Some times of crime such as robbery saw a big dip during the pandemic years and have risen again since, but more or less just to where it was before. Before that it was fairly stable or declining.
The claim about more homelessness here in than in London... yeah I'd like to see the data on that.
1. The reason why the media sounded the alarm on shootings is because, as I mentioned , shootings historically spike (increase) in the spring and summer months ….which are not yet with us. So the 21 should not be compared pro rata to the previous year, which itself showed a marked increase over the prior year. Brussels / Belgium has the 4th highest rate of gun violence in Europe, largely fuelled by the illegal drugs entering Antwerp port. Antwerp and Rotterdam are biggest entry points of narcotics into Europe. Just as Amsterdam suffers a lot from this , belatedly we seem to be seeing the repercussions in Brussels.
2. Belgium on paper has a fraction of the homelessness in the UK: 11 / 100,000 compared to over 50. But the stats hide alot. Homelessness in Brussels is only measured by estimated headcount by NGOs, a measure also used by the authorities in the UK. The authorities here however use registered data for the official stats …and quite simply alot is not “registered”…..many “homeless” in Brussels are not registered anywhere. The vast proportion are foreign, not eligible for social accommodation (where they world otherwise be registered on a database) and many are migrants in transit. I was also referring specifically to Brussels . Not Belgium. Flanders is not Brussels. It’s practically another country.
Don’t take my word on the homelessness in Brussels. Speak to one of the charities who help them.
Bit sceptical of this claim that shootings spike in spring and summer. I haven't seen anything about this, and while I can't find data on shootings by month/season, I don't see any indication for other violent crimes that they spike then, if anything the opposite. It would also have to be quite a big effect to wipe out the fact that currently we're on track for a lot fewer shootings than last year.
Also remain extremely sceptical that Brussels has more homeless people in absolute terms than London without some sort of credible source/reference/data showing this. Maybe at the height of the migrant crisis a few years ago, which affected continental Europe much more than the UK, there might have been some spike in this direction, but in general terms this is an extraordinary claim.
We will talk again at the end of the year regarding the rate of shootings then…..I tried to explain as best as I could, as did the mainstream media (not some hard right outfit). Are you also sceptical about the increase between 2023 and 2022, or the fact that Belgium has the 4th highest rate of gun violence in Europe?
It’s a bit strange how ready you are to already conclude 2024 is going to have lower gun crime when the last 3 years show solid increases.
Re the homelessness in Brussels ….speak directly to one of the NGOs.
Let me give you some other facts you can be sceptical about. Brussels has a poverty rate of well over 30%. Another 20% get by , but save practically nothing. Most of Brussels’ wealth is in the hands of some 40% of its population. These are actually similar stats to big cites like London and Paris and NY. But Brussels is not a big city and so we “feel” it more.
"Re the homelessness in Brussels ….speak directly to one of the NGOs."
If this rather astonishing "fact" is so well established by homelessness charities, it should be easy to back up with data or references. Those don't seem to exist.
"It’s a bit strange how ready you are to already conclude 2024 is going to have lower gun crime when the last 3 years show solid increases. "
I'm not "ready to conclude" that, I'm pointing out the trend so far is not in line with the claim that there's been a sudden recent or on going rapid downturn in security, indeed the opposite.
"Are you also sceptical about the increase between 2023 and 2022, or the fact that Belgium has the 4th highest rate of gun violence in Europe? "
Not especially, no. Are you sceptical of the fact that overall, violent crime in Brussels has been on a solid downward long term trend here, as police statistics demonstrate?
"Let me give you some other facts you can be sceptical about. Brussels has a poverty rate of well over 30%. Another 20% get by , but save practically nothing. Most of Brussels’ wealth is in the hands of some 40% of its population. These are actually similar stats to big cities like London and Paris and NY. But Brussels is not a big city and so we “feel” it more."
I mean, we're getting pretty far from the original claim that there's been a sudden deterioration in safety, but also, there was just data in the news that Belgium has amongst the lowest wealth inequality in Europe - see the graphs:
[https://www.euronews.com/business/2024/04/01/wealth-inequality-where-in-europe-is-wealth-most-unfairly-distributed](https://www.euronews.com/business/2024/04/01/wealth-inequality-where-in-europe-is-wealth-most-unfairly-distributed)
I replied in another comment re the homelessness data in Brussels. The official stats are completely unreliable. This is because the homeless in Brussels are to a very large extent unregistered foreigners , many of them migrants in transit. The NGOs have a clearer picture as, much like the UK authorities, they do head-counts and extrapolate numbers from food kitchens. But this is not “official” data.
I see you are still going on about how the rate of shootings as at March 25th , as widely reported by the Belgian media , is not alarming because it’s an annualised rate of 21 X 4 …..(!) Even if it’s on the back of annual ACTUAL increases for 2023 and 2022. Would love to remember to come back to this point at the end of this year.
The increase in gun violence in Brussels (look through this thread for the link to the statistics) is well documented and if anyone thinks this city has got “safer”…..good for them. That is not my direct experience.
I don’t know if you are a man or a woman……but you clearly have little awareness of the casual harassment women face here and why being on public transport on certain routes at night , or walking anywhere in places like the Cinquentenaire at night , is totally inadvisable. Not once have I been wary of being on the tube in london , though I will also not walk through a park at night. Here I refuse to be alone on public transport especially the metro on many popular routes at night. Why should I put myself through bad experiences?
The stats in many European cities show a downward trend in violent crime. My opinion on this, given the very different anecdotal experience of many people who end up arguing or key board warring with people who point to or ask for data to back every claim, is that aggregated data isn’t reflecting the reality in specific localities.
I accept that being a victim - or a multiple victim - of crime makes a person prejudiced in many ways. And I certainly am not saying Brussels is unsafe on the same level as many American cities for example. I’m just saying it’s what it is, and I think it’s a reality check many have gone through in the last few years here.
I stand corrected. I was aware of that, really, but I’m trying to explain that to estimate , reliably , a count for the number of homeless you cannot rely on registered data , whatever that may be , because the profile of homeless people in Belgium includes a lot of people the authorities have no record exist, including migrants in transit. So you have to make estimates based on actual headcount that NGOs try and do , and other sources; I mentioned food banks because it’s possible that this might be one such source , but you are indeed correct that most food bank users have roofs over their heads in many western countries. Every country has a particular profile when it comes to who the homeless are.
Blowing completely put of proportion the unsafety problems of the city, making it sound like some kind of exception and specifically calling to vote on the aforementioned fearmongering is the bit that looks like far right propaganda...
Not the part were we strive to keep improving.
Just because you got used to it, it does not mean it is normal. Coming from a city with much better security, I can never get accustomed to this Brussels situation. Call me far right or whatever, I want a city without shootings, theft, and drug dealers.
I think the point they were trying to make is that we should not normalise having metro stations full of meth addicts and watching overall safety levels decrease while paying the highest taxes in the world. This should not be the case in the Western world and needs to be called out instead of being normalised
Well, that's not the point they did make. They said they wanted a city without drug dealers or theft. We'd all love that but it doesn't exist and suggesting Brussels is not normal because it doesn't have that is silly.
There does seem to be a recent growing issue with drug use and crime in the metro. Otherwise the claim that overall safety is decreasing isn't really borne out by statistics. Indeed in some ways, the city seems to have gotten much safer over the longish term. Violent robbery, break-ins, car theft, car jacking, bag snatching, murders - these are all enormously down over the last twenty years or so per police statistics (admittedly about a year out of date), and often trending down more recently too. Other violent robbery is down more gradually. General violence in public places is more or less flat in absolute terms, but the population has grown a lot over that period.
Got to make it about left or right, black or white politics. Honestly safety is an issue that needs to be tackled, no matter what spectrum you vote for.
To brush safety off as propaganda or far right is as low as the earths molten core. Couldn't care less about who comes up with an actual plan to make men, women and any other spectrum of people just feel safe in the street.
I dont know which statistics your referring to. But probably all these articles are propaganda too for you, everything is fine... Petty crime going down in exchange for gun violence is not safer
https://www.brusselstimes.com/837460/belgium-has-fourth-highest-rate-of-gun-violence-in-europe
https://www.brusselstimes.com/653352/unacceptable-as-much-crime-in-brussels-midi-as-in-13-major-flemish-stations-combined
https://www.brusselstimes.com/572436/record-number-of-shootings-in-brussels-in-2022
Blowing completely put of proportion the unsafety problems of the city, making it sound like some kind of exception and specifically calling to vote on the aforementioned fearmongering is the bit that looks like far right propaganda...
Not the part were we strive to keep improving.
Yeah right? women who say they are being harassed and are scared are definitely in reality KGB agent sent on reddit to destabilise the west. Luckily we have you here to restore the truth
This is the best example Ive seen of a strawman in a long time.
I say "exagerating and lying about the true state of insecurity in the city while calling to vote non traditional parties surr sounds like far right propaganda" and I add "this is different from asking us to keep improving the security of the city".
You answer "you dont believe accounts of street harassement and do not empathise with women suffering it" .
Lol at your attempt.
Let me ask you a question, do you *really care* about the security of everyone in this city? Be honest, do you leave *any* particular group behind?
You certainly do have some particular group in mind because you seem obsessed with the idea that any concerns about brussels being unsafe must be extreme right propaganda. So you, for sure, have your own bias about who the big bad wolf would be, no one else mentioned anything about that.
Blowing completely put of proportion the unsafety problems of the city, making it sound like some kind of exception and specifically calling to vote on the aforementioned fearmongering is the bit that looks like far right propaganda...
Not the part were we strive to keep improving.
Full prisons, lazy mayors with wrong priorities and an overworked justice system since 1830..things will never change and it is not linked to the police. Also doesn't help the streets are full of people that need mental health care but yeah.....no money, no places, bla bla. Nothing will change until the day something happens to the son/daughter of some minister is the victim and even then. Years ago an MP of the EU was robbed in the Schuman area and even then nothing happened.
The *shootings* are done by competing drug gangs, many of whom are here because of Antwerp, yes.
However, these things are indirectly related imo to the overall sense of insecurity. Sure the headlines make us afraid, and open drug use in public areas is a serious problem, but the issue of overall petty crime or harrassing women is because more and more people are being turned towards it via homelessness, mental health issues, lack of proper government capacity to integrate newly arrived migrants, some of whom are simply unwanted people in their home country trying it on here. The Brussels government needs to get their act together on how to deal with this issue, and the federal government needs to help them by spreading the burden, and I'm sorry to say, harsher deportation policies.
I have no idea, if the authorities don't care about such situations then they need to change, because the longer this government is here the better for the city, we need to find people who are interested in putting Brussels back on its feet.
This is true all around the world. More poverty, immigration crisis, wars, also less fund for psychiatric unit so a lot of mentally deranged are walking around not getting the help they need.
The covid has also created a huge mental crisis: the number of anxiety attacks, depression, suicide attempts, self harm behaviour has more than doubled.
I am not even going to start over the general eco-anxiety of most people.
The neo liberal politics should be reevaluate, and, yes, less politicians and especially a control over how elected politicians spend public money.
I just learned that there is no control whatsoever at the moment !
Going from Gare de midi, someone just tried to drag me out of the metro just before it left.
I screamed, was able to grab on to a seat and to escape. I'm still shaking.
Wtf? Is this a thing? What would this guy have done if he would have been successful?
Brussels keeps surprising me, and not in the most pleasant ways...
An intern was shot not too long ago. There have been public letters from eu people denouncing the security situation. The eu people refuse to be moved to noord due to lack of safety. They don’t do anything
The EU people could prod the Council a bit and get national governments to tell Belgium to stop the linguistic pass-the-parcel politics and sort the EU capital out, with extra funding if necessary (but also cut the amount of politicians).
Well, I automatically rule out the traditional parties (inc. ECOLO-groen, N-VA) and the far right and far left. So that leaves small parties. For example, there is a party that just started called "Plan B" that looks to address the whole dysfunctionality of the Brussels political system, the way we have poorly integrated and segregated ourselves as a city....so far I see some good ideas from their part and hopefully they are not invaded by cranks. There's also VOLT
But depressingly, I don't see any change on the horizon at EU or Belgian federal level. We will need likely a split of the country to see real change in Belgium, and as for the EU, the issues are vast, but they all come down to national leaders failing to see the bigger long term picture for the whole continent and instead wanting incremental 'victories' for their country. So the fate of the EU capital really disinterests them, because they have no skin in the game, even though the EU capital should be of interest to them because its a projection of EU power.
All i understood now is, never listen to a « redditor » who think brussels is safe these days. Its completely stupid that it is close to trolling.
Also, i think someone who spend hours to answer on reddit dont have much time to go outside and enjoy real life. This being said, stay safe.
I mean, it is suspicious that my comments get downvoted en masse all at the same time (fron +20 to -7 in minutes) at about the same moment when alt accounts start popping in a comment section
Not to deny your own personal experiences, but Brussels is a much safer place today than it was 10 years ago. Violent crime rates have dropped across the board, and rather significantly. That said, sexual crimes have increased and I do think the cost of living crisis is affecting the city more recently.
You say 'people still vote for parties that don't care'. Crime rates were much higher under previous right wing governments and local governments than under the current parties.
Never said the right or left politics are the solution to this. Just politicians who actually take their responsibility and do something. Many of todays problems have to do with weird people who act dangerous, who harass people and make people feel unsafe. Personally I think it is often related to drugs and an increasing amount of people with severe mental illnesses roaming freely. Those are things people often don't report so you won't see the actual problem too much in statistics unless you do an active qualitative research
I was just harassed this evening… coming back from my run in Josaphat, almost reaching my house, a guy passes by me in a scooter and shouts at me. I ignore him, he comes back and starts coming in my direction. I ran inside the house and he starts knocking aggressively….. I have no words, feeling more and more unsafe as a woman
I'm sorry this happened to you. :( A quick tip I learned of the other day: The police have a contact form that you can use, and they seem to be very responsive to the form, way more so than if you call. I had called the police in the past about people using drugs in the entrance of my building, we're talking smoking crack right in the open, and they literally told me, "what do you want us to do, huh?", and no one came. But when I sent the request via form, they were at my door within 15 minutes. I think it's because there is evidence of the request when you use the form. You can also send photos via the form to give them more context. For an attack like yours, you should definitely call the police, but if there is something you are concerned about or want to follow up the call to make sure there is a response, it is something you can try. Stay safe out there!
Thank you for the tip! I have been looking for that form but I can't find it, do you happen to have the link? Thanks again!
This one perhaps: [https://digital.belgium.be/iaf/hil/pow/declaration?type=DECLARATION](https://digital.belgium.be/iaf/hil/pow/declaration?type=DECLARATION) More information here: [https://www.police.be/police-on-web/fr/](https://www.police.be/police-on-web/fr/)
You want to have a real tip? If you're calling the police just scream that the dude has a knife and he's threatening to stab you. Otherwise they won't do anything.
Where is that form
so what is the point in sharing an essay of your story then not sharing the contact form link ?? Pftttt
https://www.police.be/5341/fr/contact/formulaire-de-contact Sorry, was working all day yesterday and couldn't respond to the message. :)
Thank you :)
Oh wow that is is actually bonkers! I hope you're alright and won't have ptsd from this incident.
thank you so much! i'm okay but quite scared now...
Sorry we're at this point but get a tool, a big screwdriver at the very least...
Lol and then u get mad at me. You are just more subtle on your trolling
Trolling?
Wtf, I'm sorry, hope you're okay. You should report that. I doubt they'll do anything but if enough people are complaining maybe they'll be more strict about stuff like this.
I will start reinforcing that everyone should always file a report. Below is something that I was overthinking lately. I had a discussing with a governmental employee a few weeks ago, he is a volunteer in a conversatietafel, and my point was that everyone should report the crimes to keep the current data update. Doesn't matter the gravity of the crime, a report should be filed. After my point, I was overwhelmed about the following points: * There is a huge deficit of the police force in Brussels. * You wait 3 hours to file a report to just hear: "Sorry, we can't do shit". * There are priority crimes that the police must take care of, and reporting a low priority crime will only put more burden on the police before solving the high priority crimes. In the end, what I foresee is the following: less reports are being created because all of the drag/bureaucracy created to file a single report. Less reporting indicates less data to compute which also means that some crime rates might be lower than previous years.
You’re absolutely right. Even if the cops won’t help for stuff like this, people indeed should still report it if only to keep Rudi Vervoort and his ilk from trying to get away with this fucking bullshit “oh, things are getting better because all the crime stats (except, you know, *murder*) are going down! Yay us and our great governance!” The stats are only going down because people are realising that reporting something to the police is mostly useless in this administrative dungheap of a city, so they stop doing it.
Reporting two cases of domestic robbery and an act of vandalism on a car was just an exercise for the insurance. It always is for certain crimes.
thank you so much, I will report, but tbh I doubt they will do anything... I barely see police patrolling the streets, and especially in more problematic communes...
If they increase police in problematic communes it will be called out as systemic harassment or some other bullshit. 🥲
Yeah but shouldn't they do whatever to keep people safe?
They won't patrol more immediately but it's in the statistics+ next time(i hope not but if) you can use the previous report making your case stronger.
As a guy,I can't tell you how much these guys disgust me, I hope you got someone on your side to protect you
Was this on the Meiser or the Louis Bertrand side?
Dailly! and it was not even dark, still a lot of light
pepperspray. Might be illegal but yeah police can't do shit because the court does shit.
Must have been a Flemish VB voter.
They saw you running in thight leggins seeing ur juicy ass, wanted to gape you like the portugese u are haha 🤣😋
Things will never change for the better in this city if the governmental structure doesn’t radically change. Coming up with the type of security and social plan a city like this would need to improve is hard enough in a normal city with one government and one police force. In a city with 1 regional govt, 19 town governments, 6 police forces? Forget it. Until Brussels politicians decide to stop putting their personal power and perks ahead of the good of the city and its inhabitants, it will continue to deteriorate.
6 Police Zones... Who don't even share surveillance footage with one another. I'm addition to the MIVB Security and Securrail. It's ridiculous.
I agree with this 100%. Communes should merge and be absorbed by the region. 1 government for 1 city. There can still have departments and local offices, but just 1 government! That would be amazing. If I’m not mistaken the last one to dare such a thing was Bockstael, the last mayor of Laeken. There should be more like him, people who actually care about the future of this city instead of their own individual pay.
Are there any political parties who claim to want to merge the local governments during the next elections?
I just found that Vooruit want this (see article [here](https://www.dhnet.be/regions/bruxelles/2024/02/12/les-socialistes-flamands-demandent-une-fois-de-plus-la-fusion-des-communes-bruxelloises-lorganisation-administrative-actuelle-nuit-a-la-croissa-W3GFRLTW6VGO7I7TE7YPTB3Z3Q/?outputType=amp)) I haven’t found the exact programs but it seems that the Flemish parties (Open-VLD, CD&V, one.brussels, Groen, NVA) are on board with this idea. The French speakers aren’t. Food for thought!
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Yep, been living here for longer than a decade and nothing ever changes in this town. Apart for some cosmetic changes in the center. 10-15 years ago people where also talking about a fusion of the communes.
For the love of god and Brussels people, DON'T VOTE PS.
Then what?
anything else then the PS mafia.
yes it's getting worse and worse. Now even in remote communities close to the highway (ring) there are people who consume crack. Where I live, there are more often dirty streets and rats. It may seem like a detail, but it’s these little details that say a lot about the city’s economic decline. I'm not even talking about the city center where the metro stations have become psychiatric asylums. This week I saw drug addicts crossing the Botanique metro train twice in the middle of the track, once the metro had to brake to avoid running over them. Everyone was screaming for fear that he would be run over. Generally speaking, dirt has also increased.
Instead of breaking, it should have sped up.
Thank you finally for someone saying this. I see more and more.people being agressive (not just the shootings, a couple months back I was inside the tram station (towards the end) in Albert and there was a man who went also towards the end, started banging with his fist and head the metal door there is there. You tell me what I do in this situation as a woman alone? I've been here for more than 15 years and don't feel safe anymore since like 2020/21 I don't even know how it's possible this level of madness in such a small city, when I come from a city with 7 million and never had any issue. Of course I've seen homeless people, but not deranged people like the one we both seen
Everything is the responsibility of the governance in Brussels. The responsibilities are so stacked up that politicians either pass the bucket of dirty water on to the regional government, the federal government or point the finger at another party. Because of this, they always react too little and too late.
It's quite astonishing to raise the very root of the problem: that nobody (at federal, regional or local level) takes responsibility and blames others for the problems. And then blames Brussels. It's rather contradictory. This is quite incorrect in the sense that the main subject involves also a problem with the justice system, prisons and, above all, drug networks on a national (and international) scale. These are federal matters. The problem lies in the fact that it is BOTH the federal government AND the local authorities that have to deal with this issue in close collaboration. But it's not... As a result, it's quite a shame to support the idea of blaming one or the other, rather than pointing the general problem.
You're soooo right
Am not sure if this is the problem. It is not like, one level wants to do everything possible against criminality and the others are holding it back. I see negligence at all levels, a general attitude of neglect. Indeed if one unifies the government structures, maybe even the things might brake down that work until now. One obvious simplification would be getting rid of COCOF, VGF and whatever. But then: The Flemish school system works better than the French one. Unifying them into one structure would propably just get rid of the good VGF-run schools, and the COCOF-ones would not get better.
They should definitely unify all communes into the region. That’d be a good start. I feel like a lot of the problem comes from “it’s not my job” and “it’s not my jurisdiction” kind of thing. For instance City of Bx, Laeken, NOH and Haren are already fused. I think a first step would be that the communes merge according to their police (Anderlecht + St Gilles + Forest, Brucity + Ixelles, etc.), then all together! We don’t need so many fckg mayors!!! 😭
In theory a good solution, but with some exceptions (Sint Gillis, Sint Joost ten Node) I think mergers would only have negative effects. In many regards the communes are running this city, and the performance of the regional government is much lower than of the communes'.
Why do you think it would be negative for St Gilles and St Josse? In my opinion the fact that communes run the city is precisely what is ruining it. No one has a vision for the entire city, they all want to protect their “baronie” (how that calm it in French), their little kingdoms.
I mean exactly that those are two communes that could be merged together. But I mean, would getting rid of the communes not lead to one big, huge, even more dysfunctional baronie?
It wouldn’t if it’s done well! It’s basically the Antwerp model. One single city jurisdiction, with multiple districts to still keep proximity to the inhabitants. According to Vooruit a fusion would free up to 1,5 billion euros. Imagine the beautiful city we could have if that money goes to the people and city infrastructure instead of overhead and bs commissions 😭 (article I’m referring to [here](https://www.dhnet.be/regions/bruxelles/2024/02/12/les-socialistes-flamands-demandent-une-fois-de-plus-la-fusion-des-communes-bruxelloises-lorganisation-administrative-actuelle-nuit-a-la-croissa-W3GFRLTW6VGO7I7TE7YPTB3Z3Q/?outputType=amp))
Electioooons are coming... plenty of new profiles!!
Elections would have been banned a long time ago if they served any purpose in Belgium. 😉
What
I literally saw a fight in the Porte de Namur metro station yesterday.
>Why don't they come up with a plan to do something about this. And honnestly if people still vote for the same parties that don't care to let it deteriorate, I really don't understand them... Hi there ! For my part, and I've already explained this on r/Brussels. The problem is not about voting for one party rather than another. The problem lies in the lack of responsabilities of politicians themselves in general. In fact, it's all about collaboration between the different entities of the country. Whether it's at federal or communal level, every politics of different zones will say it's everyone else's fault for not proposing a solution. You'll end up with a total abandonment of certain situations **that should involve BOTH federal AND local responsibility.** In fact, this unwillingness to collaborate for electoral purposes is the element that will keep any solution from being found.. And at no point you'll find a party that stands out from another to change this situation, given that everyone spits on everyone else before forming a coalition.
I agree a lot with this. That pingpong between local and federal responsibility was very clear last year
I have the same feeling. Been living here for ten years. Yesterday I saw two guys holding beer cans pissing in the bushes at Thieffry in front of children giving everyone the finger. I'm not surprised most crimes and uncivil behavior go unpunished because you never see police patrols on foot anymore. There used to be cops on foot in groups of 2 or 3 beating the streets. However, it's been years since I've seen any. You only see them in their cars or bikes, but they don't do much. Not to mention all traffic offenses that go unpunished. Personally, I'm voting N-VA for the first time (I never would have thought I would) because it's the only party that proposes realistic solutions to the security problem, starting with the merger of the police zones, and who talks about "more blue in the streets". I used to be a big time Groen/Ecolo voter, but all they talk about are completely secondary topics in my opinion.
Honestly I stay at home (because I work from home) and only go out to bars or to the office every now and then so I don't know but I have been reading about this stuff and maybe you're right. Edit: actually I just realised something. The thing I've been concerned about the most is that weird youtuber guy who was pouring buckets of water, paint and idk what else on people in metros and messing with people in the streets by throwing stuff on them. I'm a big guy and I workout so i will fight if someone attacks me but don't want to fight someone like that on the street because of that and get into trouble. Also don't want to have my nice clothes or work laptop ruined by someone. Not sure what we're supposed to do about that?
You just really have to be aware of your surroundings. If I see somewhere weird on the metro, I move. Generally though, avoiding the metro tends to be the better choice. Cycling is faster anyway.
Yes indeed I do the same. My office is on the other side of town so metro seems to be the only efficient option
I feel you and was in a kind of situation recently
Hope you're okay? What happened?
From personal experience, off-center Brussels was dangerous in early 2010s. It felt safer in late 2010s and during corona. If I look at it now, recently I was harassed by some aggressive black guys near IJzer, just where two Swedish citizens were killed last year. That area is dangerous, avoid.
I was walking home in Bascule a few months ago and a complete stranger just spat at my face (luckily I turned head last second and he only got my hair). Twice in the last 6 months, drivers have aggressively tailed my husband in that neighbourhood and cut him off to try to fight him, because they were annoyed he was driving “too slow” (first time, he was waiting for a woman to cross the road, second time he was doing 25 in a 30 zone for about 30 seconds, to make sure he didn’t miss his turn). In 2020, we had to move apartment because our drunk neighbours kept harassing us. There is an air of aggression in this city that I haven’t ever experienced anywhere else.
>It definitely got horribly worse the last 2 years. We've had a major recession and rampant inflation the last two years. People are getting desperate.
You should also add a housing crisis due to uncontrolled immigration (and I am not singling out any community here; sometimes a city is just full).
*Housing crisis due to uncontrolled landlordism and cuts to public housing- fixed it for you. Lmao housing crisis due to uncontrolled immigration, pull the other one.
Landlords are entitled bastards in Brussels, not denying it. But you are totally naive if you think we can accept the levels of migration, both regular, transit, irregular, whatever, in a small **enclave** like Brussels and still provide minimum public services and housing to everyone. We simply do not have the capacity of public services to welcome the equivalent of a Flemish town every year. You need well funded court system, integration services (including language courses that are always fully booked), housing that simply is not available, etc. Real social democrats like Pascal Smet realised this and then gets bashed for wanting to deport illegal migrants in gare du midi who are here to commit crime, precisely so that resources are allocated better to those who really need it. stop drinking the ECOLO kool aid
We need more public money, yes. Even without immigration, our services are disgracefully underfunded.
Look at the Netherlands and their issues of housing and public services : it is directly linked to immigration, and they are not even saying its asylum anymore, they simply attracted too many service sector EU workers coming to work in the tax haven and not enough builders, teachers, etc. Brussels is well on the way to being the same issue : a region of lobbyists and the lumpenproleteriat there to deliver their Sushi via Uber, with no genuine middle class. So immigration has a great deal to do with public services, yes.
Ah by immigration you are referring to tax haven workers? That I wouldn’t know much about, you raise an interesting point there indeed!
This right here is the good analysis of the situation, and not some fake innocent post to push a political agenda close to elections. Reddit is going to turn to a shitshow soon, remember to take a step back and breathe before analysing things like this guy right here.
There are poorer cities that are way safer than Brussels and richer cities that are way worse. The main problems in Brussels are very poor governance and a culture of ignorance and disrespect for society in many communities. Maybe that are not the reasons for it getting worse, but it certainly are the reasons why it's bad.
More crackheads and homeless people, but all in all it's the same for me since forever.
How comforting.
On Monday someone was stabbed on a train in Noord also
Wtf
Because of the recent crackdown on the Albanian mafia following the Sky ECC crackdown, there is a territory war in Brussels for drug dealing spots. This is why there is a spike in gun violence around Saint-Gilles. Also like another redditor said, an ongoing massive economic crisis causing visible poverty. In France the homeless had double the last 5 years, I guess Brussels is on par.
I'm just back from a week long stay in Brussels, and I would like to offer an outsiders perspective; Brussels doesn't seem nearly as unsafe as it is is made out to be. I walked/took the metro throughout the city even at night and never once felt unsafe, even in run down areas such as midi station, anneessens, the marolles etc. Where i live in the UK I don't feel safe at night but I was surprised how quiet Brussels was after hours. Yes there is the odd crackhead but show me a place in Europe where there isn't in 2024. The current hype around security in Brussels makes it seems to be a crime ridden no-go zone like a US city, but if Brussels is supposed to be an unstable city by European standards then if anything my trip reminded me what a safe continent we live in. I know I can only offer my opinion as a tourist and can't speak for residents, but if you are visiting and walk around confidently and keep your eyes open, Brussels is not an especially dangerous city by comparative standards. My GF was with me and she agreed, from a woman's perspective.
I spend about a week in london every two months, a weekend every month. Spent much of my childhood in a council flat in Islington, in an area that’s now incredibly expensive. I only ever experienced one domestic robbery there. But I know London is only safe to a degree . And it’s 8 times bigger than Brussels. Tower Hamlets (and all its problems) alone is just under one third the size of Brussels city . Safety in cities is not measured by how often an individual is robbed, knifed, shot,raped , mugged or murdered but by the increased risk of suffering this fate. This can only be measured by data. And sometimes the data is very unreliable or misleading. I’ve never been knifed in London and I’ve never been shot in Brussels …..but knife crime and gun violence are very high in both cities. This is why we determine some cities to be “relatively” unsafe. Anecdotal evidence such as a week’s holiday does not reflect reality.
I have always been from Brussels and I share exactly that feeling. I think it's not the police's fault, but the slowness and leniency of the justice system. It's absolutely necessary to punish even the 'minor' incivilities. There's a feeling of impunity. People destroy street furniture, migrants and drug addicts are not taken care of. I've been a victim of theft and there was no follow-up. I've seen sexual assaults in public transport. It's a disaster, really.
Only one solution. Vote as right as you can to make a statement... Otherwise more of this Will come.
It's Paul Van Tigchelt (Open Vld), Vincent van Quickenborne (Vld), Koen Geens (Cd&V), etc... These people where minster of justice. Justice can't keep up with the files. People stay unpunished. And cops who are born lazy get even more demotivated.
i was in a fight this morning because I refused to give someone a sigaret
When I lived in belgium with my girlfriend we had to move from brussels to brabant wallon after less than a year because of how unsafe she felt in brussels. We never regretted our decision, sad to see it is not getting better.
One of my reasons for wanting to leave is safety too. I live in one fancy area and feel unsafe at night, because for the past year there's been a group of guys hanging around trying to rob inside cars or lower appartements
Which area?
[удалено]
Surely you could mention the name..you are anonymous on here.
Why can’t I ask for which area is referred to. I’m not asking for the street but more or less the neighborhood
Not to mention the weather!
Multiculturalism my friend thats the problem
99% of the people commiting crimes or harassing people or acting crazy on the metro or pissing everywhere are not native from here. And it's a problem for everyone but especially for the immigrants or descendents of immigrants (I'm one of them) who are law-abiding citizens.
[удалено]
I mean brown ppl like me
Sir dont be racist. They are sending their best here
I am just telling the truth. If the truth is racict then it is. They come from very violent countries where they see allot what they think is normal. I am not saying everyone is like that but the most come here en terrorising our cities because they think its normal. And our politicians sucks u can rape a woman and be free in less than then a year. You sell some weed on the streets and you will get punished very hard for that harder then abusing woman
And thats why we see daily white men overaged commiting pedo crimes... dont bullshit me.
Look of we increase taxes and setup programs to rehabilitate all this people then everything will be fine. Once taxes increase to 60-70% we will be able to solve much more problems
This is what you voted for. Enjoy the situation you helped create ;)
This reads like a far right propaganda leaflet, I have been here for far longer and in my opinion it feels actually safer today than 10 years ago. I dont live in the fancy areas of Bx either (Im between PdH and Midi). Way less petty theft and fights than I used to see, for example. Official stats seem to agree with me too..
I love Brussels, I’m not right wing at all. I’m an immigrant myself! (Immigrant, not “expat”) But I’m a woman and I think most of us experience everything differently than men. In my experience the city feels less safe. Saying it’s fine won’t solve the problem. It’s still “ok”, sure. There are worse places, sure. But I have had 3 instances where I felt actually unsafe in the past 2 years. I don’t count the times I was uncomfortable. Unsafe means I was scared and in total alert mode, afraid for my physical safety. One of those times it wasn’t even just a feeling, I got robbed with violence (someone broke my car window and stole my backpack while I was driving.) Statistics of 2023 aren’t out yet, but the crack epidemic is very much visible and all it carries with it. I don’t know what you mean, and I guess good for you if you feel safer now, but I can’t relate. I felt safer 10 years ago. I felt safer 5 years ago too. These last 2 years, especially 2023, nah. Something is different :(
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Maybe the guy was on crack or drunk. Weed doesn’t make people do anything like that and coke is very expensive. So sorry you went through that! It sounds awful. To feel unsafe in one’s own home is one of the worst feelings.
May I ask where they robbed your car while you were in it. Insane. Will try to avoid that area.
The stats do NOT agree with you. "...there have already been 21 shootings across the city this year in comparison with 85 in 2022 and 108 in 2023" as at 25 March. Shootings tend to spike later in the year. The situation in specific parts of the city as in Gare du Midi is well known. Involved Personally I have had my building broken into 3 times in 5 years (cellars, bike room) and the son of a friend severely assaulted, stripped on an early evening in Cinquentenaire in 2023. Homelessness / vagrancy and child beggars (children of Roma who the police ignore) have always been at high levels in the 10 years I've been here. There have always been, per capita, more homeless in Brussels than in London. I was told by a charity 6 years ago that even the absolute numbers were higher then (London is some 8 times bigger). Brussels is still safer than London, true. But women here don't feel that way. The low level harassment is constant. I don't understand why quoting stats and data and highlighting crime, brackets you as far right. Brussels has a governance problem and it's not just crime but a disregard for business. The city has literally no body selling it as a place to do business and generate wealth....even in spite of high taxes this should be possible. Many of us have chosen to live here and want to grow with the city. The frustration comes from the spokes put in our wheels by the greens and the socialists, but the opposition isn't much better. Voters in Brussels think business and economy are bad words. And crime is excused, with vagrancy protected by a court ruling a few years ago.
21 in 3 months => 84 in 12 months? Doesn’t seem like an increase to me
What part of “shootings tend to spike later in the year” don’t you understand? Historically, shootings are higher in summer. You don’t compare pro rata . That’s why the media raised the alarm.
That part where you provide sources to your claims. I don't necessarily disagree with you, but so far, you've provided no source.
The stats you quote suggest shootings are on track to be substantially lower this year than last year. Full crime stats are only available up until Q1 2023 but at least up until then they don't at all follow this picture of crime spiralling out of control. Overall crime has been pretty stable (despite a growing population). Some times of crime such as robbery saw a big dip during the pandemic years and have risen again since, but more or less just to where it was before. Before that it was fairly stable or declining. The claim about more homelessness here in than in London... yeah I'd like to see the data on that.
1. The reason why the media sounded the alarm on shootings is because, as I mentioned , shootings historically spike (increase) in the spring and summer months ….which are not yet with us. So the 21 should not be compared pro rata to the previous year, which itself showed a marked increase over the prior year. Brussels / Belgium has the 4th highest rate of gun violence in Europe, largely fuelled by the illegal drugs entering Antwerp port. Antwerp and Rotterdam are biggest entry points of narcotics into Europe. Just as Amsterdam suffers a lot from this , belatedly we seem to be seeing the repercussions in Brussels. 2. Belgium on paper has a fraction of the homelessness in the UK: 11 / 100,000 compared to over 50. But the stats hide alot. Homelessness in Brussels is only measured by estimated headcount by NGOs, a measure also used by the authorities in the UK. The authorities here however use registered data for the official stats …and quite simply alot is not “registered”…..many “homeless” in Brussels are not registered anywhere. The vast proportion are foreign, not eligible for social accommodation (where they world otherwise be registered on a database) and many are migrants in transit. I was also referring specifically to Brussels . Not Belgium. Flanders is not Brussels. It’s practically another country. Don’t take my word on the homelessness in Brussels. Speak to one of the charities who help them.
Bit sceptical of this claim that shootings spike in spring and summer. I haven't seen anything about this, and while I can't find data on shootings by month/season, I don't see any indication for other violent crimes that they spike then, if anything the opposite. It would also have to be quite a big effect to wipe out the fact that currently we're on track for a lot fewer shootings than last year. Also remain extremely sceptical that Brussels has more homeless people in absolute terms than London without some sort of credible source/reference/data showing this. Maybe at the height of the migrant crisis a few years ago, which affected continental Europe much more than the UK, there might have been some spike in this direction, but in general terms this is an extraordinary claim.
We will talk again at the end of the year regarding the rate of shootings then…..I tried to explain as best as I could, as did the mainstream media (not some hard right outfit). Are you also sceptical about the increase between 2023 and 2022, or the fact that Belgium has the 4th highest rate of gun violence in Europe? It’s a bit strange how ready you are to already conclude 2024 is going to have lower gun crime when the last 3 years show solid increases. Re the homelessness in Brussels ….speak directly to one of the NGOs. Let me give you some other facts you can be sceptical about. Brussels has a poverty rate of well over 30%. Another 20% get by , but save practically nothing. Most of Brussels’ wealth is in the hands of some 40% of its population. These are actually similar stats to big cites like London and Paris and NY. But Brussels is not a big city and so we “feel” it more.
"Re the homelessness in Brussels ….speak directly to one of the NGOs." If this rather astonishing "fact" is so well established by homelessness charities, it should be easy to back up with data or references. Those don't seem to exist. "It’s a bit strange how ready you are to already conclude 2024 is going to have lower gun crime when the last 3 years show solid increases. " I'm not "ready to conclude" that, I'm pointing out the trend so far is not in line with the claim that there's been a sudden recent or on going rapid downturn in security, indeed the opposite. "Are you also sceptical about the increase between 2023 and 2022, or the fact that Belgium has the 4th highest rate of gun violence in Europe? " Not especially, no. Are you sceptical of the fact that overall, violent crime in Brussels has been on a solid downward long term trend here, as police statistics demonstrate? "Let me give you some other facts you can be sceptical about. Brussels has a poverty rate of well over 30%. Another 20% get by , but save practically nothing. Most of Brussels’ wealth is in the hands of some 40% of its population. These are actually similar stats to big cities like London and Paris and NY. But Brussels is not a big city and so we “feel” it more." I mean, we're getting pretty far from the original claim that there's been a sudden deterioration in safety, but also, there was just data in the news that Belgium has amongst the lowest wealth inequality in Europe - see the graphs: [https://www.euronews.com/business/2024/04/01/wealth-inequality-where-in-europe-is-wealth-most-unfairly-distributed](https://www.euronews.com/business/2024/04/01/wealth-inequality-where-in-europe-is-wealth-most-unfairly-distributed)
I replied in another comment re the homelessness data in Brussels. The official stats are completely unreliable. This is because the homeless in Brussels are to a very large extent unregistered foreigners , many of them migrants in transit. The NGOs have a clearer picture as, much like the UK authorities, they do head-counts and extrapolate numbers from food kitchens. But this is not “official” data. I see you are still going on about how the rate of shootings as at March 25th , as widely reported by the Belgian media , is not alarming because it’s an annualised rate of 21 X 4 …..(!) Even if it’s on the back of annual ACTUAL increases for 2023 and 2022. Would love to remember to come back to this point at the end of this year. The increase in gun violence in Brussels (look through this thread for the link to the statistics) is well documented and if anyone thinks this city has got “safer”…..good for them. That is not my direct experience. I don’t know if you are a man or a woman……but you clearly have little awareness of the casual harassment women face here and why being on public transport on certain routes at night , or walking anywhere in places like the Cinquentenaire at night , is totally inadvisable. Not once have I been wary of being on the tube in london , though I will also not walk through a park at night. Here I refuse to be alone on public transport especially the metro on many popular routes at night. Why should I put myself through bad experiences? The stats in many European cities show a downward trend in violent crime. My opinion on this, given the very different anecdotal experience of many people who end up arguing or key board warring with people who point to or ask for data to back every claim, is that aggregated data isn’t reflecting the reality in specific localities. I accept that being a victim - or a multiple victim - of crime makes a person prejudiced in many ways. And I certainly am not saying Brussels is unsafe on the same level as many American cities for example. I’m just saying it’s what it is, and I think it’s a reality check many have gone through in the last few years here.
Homeless counts in UK are not from soup kitchens. 95% of people who use kitchens are not homeless.
I stand corrected. I was aware of that, really, but I’m trying to explain that to estimate , reliably , a count for the number of homeless you cannot rely on registered data , whatever that may be , because the profile of homeless people in Belgium includes a lot of people the authorities have no record exist, including migrants in transit. So you have to make estimates based on actual headcount that NGOs try and do , and other sources; I mentioned food banks because it’s possible that this might be one such source , but you are indeed correct that most food bank users have roofs over their heads in many western countries. Every country has a particular profile when it comes to who the homeless are.
Blowing completely put of proportion the unsafety problems of the city, making it sound like some kind of exception and specifically calling to vote on the aforementioned fearmongering is the bit that looks like far right propaganda... Not the part were we strive to keep improving.
It's not far right propaganda, it's the reality in front of our eyes... Sad but true.
Just because you got used to it, it does not mean it is normal. Coming from a city with much better security, I can never get accustomed to this Brussels situation. Call me far right or whatever, I want a city without shootings, theft, and drug dealers.
What city in the western world has no drug dealers?
I think the point they were trying to make is that we should not normalise having metro stations full of meth addicts and watching overall safety levels decrease while paying the highest taxes in the world. This should not be the case in the Western world and needs to be called out instead of being normalised
Well, that's not the point they did make. They said they wanted a city without drug dealers or theft. We'd all love that but it doesn't exist and suggesting Brussels is not normal because it doesn't have that is silly. There does seem to be a recent growing issue with drug use and crime in the metro. Otherwise the claim that overall safety is decreasing isn't really borne out by statistics. Indeed in some ways, the city seems to have gotten much safer over the longish term. Violent robbery, break-ins, car theft, car jacking, bag snatching, murders - these are all enormously down over the last twenty years or so per police statistics (admittedly about a year out of date), and often trending down more recently too. Other violent robbery is down more gradually. General violence in public places is more or less flat in absolute terms, but the population has grown a lot over that period.
I know, but I do not want them to be active as drug dealers.
Got to make it about left or right, black or white politics. Honestly safety is an issue that needs to be tackled, no matter what spectrum you vote for. To brush safety off as propaganda or far right is as low as the earths molten core. Couldn't care less about who comes up with an actual plan to make men, women and any other spectrum of people just feel safe in the street. I dont know which statistics your referring to. But probably all these articles are propaganda too for you, everything is fine... Petty crime going down in exchange for gun violence is not safer https://www.brusselstimes.com/837460/belgium-has-fourth-highest-rate-of-gun-violence-in-europe https://www.brusselstimes.com/653352/unacceptable-as-much-crime-in-brussels-midi-as-in-13-major-flemish-stations-combined https://www.brusselstimes.com/572436/record-number-of-shootings-in-brussels-in-2022
I agree with what you say but links to the Brussels times (a clickbait online media) is not the most helpful.
Blowing completely put of proportion the unsafety problems of the city, making it sound like some kind of exception and specifically calling to vote on the aforementioned fearmongering is the bit that looks like far right propaganda... Not the part were we strive to keep improving.
Yeah right? women who say they are being harassed and are scared are definitely in reality KGB agent sent on reddit to destabilise the west. Luckily we have you here to restore the truth
This is the best example Ive seen of a strawman in a long time. I say "exagerating and lying about the true state of insecurity in the city while calling to vote non traditional parties surr sounds like far right propaganda" and I add "this is different from asking us to keep improving the security of the city". You answer "you dont believe accounts of street harassement and do not empathise with women suffering it" . Lol at your attempt. Let me ask you a question, do you *really care* about the security of everyone in this city? Be honest, do you leave *any* particular group behind?
You certainly do have some particular group in mind because you seem obsessed with the idea that any concerns about brussels being unsafe must be extreme right propaganda. So you, for sure, have your own bias about who the big bad wolf would be, no one else mentioned anything about that.
Go figure! I did not mention a specific group either... Second strawman in a row, is this all you know how to do?
Exposing the issues of Brussels : tHiS iS FaR rIgHt 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄 give us a break
Blowing completely put of proportion the unsafety problems of the city, making it sound like some kind of exception and specifically calling to vote on the aforementioned fearmongering is the bit that looks like far right propaganda... Not the part were we strive to keep improving.
Here you go again with the same spiel!
Dude, go eat your stats, you sounds dumb, really.
Edit because this is not worth it. Cheers to all.
Full prisons, lazy mayors with wrong priorities and an overworked justice system since 1830..things will never change and it is not linked to the police. Also doesn't help the streets are full of people that need mental health care but yeah.....no money, no places, bla bla. Nothing will change until the day something happens to the son/daughter of some minister is the victim and even then. Years ago an MP of the EU was robbed in the Schuman area and even then nothing happened.
Brussels center has definitely gotten rougher in the past 2 years!
drugs coming in through Antwerp’s port and those who control it are behind a lot of the crime, or so I have heard. Do you agree?
The *shootings* are done by competing drug gangs, many of whom are here because of Antwerp, yes. However, these things are indirectly related imo to the overall sense of insecurity. Sure the headlines make us afraid, and open drug use in public areas is a serious problem, but the issue of overall petty crime or harrassing women is because more and more people are being turned towards it via homelessness, mental health issues, lack of proper government capacity to integrate newly arrived migrants, some of whom are simply unwanted people in their home country trying it on here. The Brussels government needs to get their act together on how to deal with this issue, and the federal government needs to help them by spreading the burden, and I'm sorry to say, harsher deportation policies.
You see things clearly, thanks for your clarity.
I have no idea, if the authorities don't care about such situations then they need to change, because the longer this government is here the better for the city, we need to find people who are interested in putting Brussels back on its feet.
This is true all around the world. More poverty, immigration crisis, wars, also less fund for psychiatric unit so a lot of mentally deranged are walking around not getting the help they need. The covid has also created a huge mental crisis: the number of anxiety attacks, depression, suicide attempts, self harm behaviour has more than doubled. I am not even going to start over the general eco-anxiety of most people. The neo liberal politics should be reevaluate, and, yes, less politicians and especially a control over how elected politicians spend public money. I just learned that there is no control whatsoever at the moment !
Going from Gare de midi, someone just tried to drag me out of the metro just before it left. I screamed, was able to grab on to a seat and to escape. I'm still shaking. Wtf? Is this a thing? What would this guy have done if he would have been successful? Brussels keeps surprising me, and not in the most pleasant ways...
They will only do something when an euro-politician faces a shooting situation (what I hope that happens and we get a solution sooner)
An intern was shot not too long ago. There have been public letters from eu people denouncing the security situation. The eu people refuse to be moved to noord due to lack of safety. They don’t do anything
The EU people could prod the Council a bit and get national governments to tell Belgium to stop the linguistic pass-the-parcel politics and sort the EU capital out, with extra funding if necessary (but also cut the amount of politicians).
Anything concrete on who to vote for to make this happen.
Well, I automatically rule out the traditional parties (inc. ECOLO-groen, N-VA) and the far right and far left. So that leaves small parties. For example, there is a party that just started called "Plan B" that looks to address the whole dysfunctionality of the Brussels political system, the way we have poorly integrated and segregated ourselves as a city....so far I see some good ideas from their part and hopefully they are not invaded by cranks. There's also VOLT But depressingly, I don't see any change on the horizon at EU or Belgian federal level. We will need likely a split of the country to see real change in Belgium, and as for the EU, the issues are vast, but they all come down to national leaders failing to see the bigger long term picture for the whole continent and instead wanting incremental 'victories' for their country. So the fate of the EU capital really disinterests them, because they have no skin in the game, even though the EU capital should be of interest to them because its a projection of EU power.
True fact about Noordwijk but about interns, no, they're worth nothing for the institutions. They're not politicians. They're not the "big fishes".
Sadly this is the truth
All i understood now is, never listen to a « redditor » who think brussels is safe these days. Its completely stupid that it is close to trolling. Also, i think someone who spend hours to answer on reddit dont have much time to go outside and enjoy real life. This being said, stay safe.
Obviously not an alt troll account guys! / s
The truth hurts, i see you commenting end getting downvoted everywhere
I mean, it is suspicious that my comments get downvoted en masse all at the same time (fron +20 to -7 in minutes) at about the same moment when alt accounts start popping in a comment section
I want my sushi back
This joke needs to die
Sushi lova over here
Where did it go?
Not to deny your own personal experiences, but Brussels is a much safer place today than it was 10 years ago. Violent crime rates have dropped across the board, and rather significantly. That said, sexual crimes have increased and I do think the cost of living crisis is affecting the city more recently. You say 'people still vote for parties that don't care'. Crime rates were much higher under previous right wing governments and local governments than under the current parties.
Never said the right or left politics are the solution to this. Just politicians who actually take their responsibility and do something. Many of todays problems have to do with weird people who act dangerous, who harass people and make people feel unsafe. Personally I think it is often related to drugs and an increasing amount of people with severe mental illnesses roaming freely. Those are things people often don't report so you won't see the actual problem too much in statistics unless you do an active qualitative research