“How did they get the 50 -kilo flower box here?”: Residents in search of moved things from front garden after folk use Poortje Pik (Rijkevorsel)

Football goals, garbage cans, flower boxes, chairs and traffic signs. That is just a selection from everything that was collected during a gate cock. It is a long -standing tradition in Rijkevorsel that loose objects from the front garden can be moved to the village center on the night of 30 April.

« This morning some old roof tiles with decoration were disappeared on the front door, » says Rob Maes. « I have the impression that they mainly brought smaller things last night. It is the first time that something I have been taken at the place where I live now. It used to happen more often on the Oostmalsesteenweg. You have supporters and opponents of Poortje cock, but it will stay in our village.

You have supporters and opponents of Poortje Pik, but it will stay in our village

Rob Maes

resident Rijkevorsel

Bianca Wuyts is looking for her letterbox. « It was certain, but I did not find them among all the other things on the square. The question is where the letterbox has gone. We always put everything away safely at home and did not expect that the letterbox would have disappeared. Poortje cock is a tradition that should not disappear, as long as it remains playful and no damage is caused. »

In the past, Poortje Pik also took place in Baarle and Ravels, but there it is forbidden because there was too much vandalism. Today Rijkevorsel is still the only place where the tradition is being honored. Mayor Dorien Cuylaerts (N-VA) came to take a closer look on Thursday morning. “It is always impressing what you see on the roundabout. In previous years there were always shop carts, now not. The police report shows that it was a quiet edition. It remains a sleepless night for me every year and the morning of May 1 I am always nervous until I have been on the roundabout. There are also materials of the municipality of loot. made those things loose, so I can’t give them wrong. « 

It remains a sleepless night for me every year and the morning of May 1 I am always nervous until I have been to the roundabout

Dorien Cuylaerts

Mayor Rijkevorsel

« During the night of Poortje Pik we bet on surveillance and security. There are some fixed cameras in the center, but we have also added an extra security camera to get a very good picture. Everyone is identified, because every year things are broken. If we can link people to certain facts, fines can be written out. Gas-Boet was out for a trietal, dores, dores dores, dores, dores, dores, dores, doresdaals, doresal, dor, doresal, doresalaals.

The mayor is approached by some inhabitants who come to collect their removed materials. Staff Wuyts makes it clear that he is not in favor of Poortje Pik. « With us they brought a stone dog from the front garden. Unfortunately I don’t think it is. For my wife the statue has emotional value, she started to cry. I don’t think you can just take something with someone else, I never did that myself. Then I prefer that they would come and ask if we want to sell it. » Dorien Cuylaerts explains Staf that Poortje Cock is a tradition that is not about stealing, but only to take what is loose.

I don’t think you can just take something with someone else, I never did that myself

Staff Wuyts

resident Rijkevorsel

Erik Sterkens makes no problem of gate cock. « A flower box that stood in front of the door was disappeared this morning. It weighs at least 50 kilograms, but I live close to the church. Yet I wonder how they have moved the container. Only I don’t get the flower box to be lifted from my family to bring them back to my house. It is the first time that I am always able to laugh during trouble. »