Police holds major action against nuisance in Antwerp: Streets closed, several people arrested (Antwerp 2060)

For several weeks in a row, the Antwerp Seefhoek has been in the news due to violent incidents that startle the neighborhood. Fightings with sticks, nuisance caused by drug dealers and their clientele and as an absolute low the stabbing on the dune plaque that killed the lives of 33-year-old Wajdi Zairi on Sunday 25 May.

Read too. Parents of thirties who was stabbed to death in Seefhoek: « This feeling is unreal, but we are speechless because of the loving reactions »

In the aftermath of various of those incidents, local residents in the media criticized the police who would be insufficiently present in the neighborhood. In front of the ATV camera, a local resident even claimed last weekend that the police would look away and consciously avoid violent incidents. On the Coninckplein, traders even asked for a mobile police commissioner. By analogy with the summer of 2004 when police were present at the square 24/7, although it also harvested criticism because the neighborhood wanted more footpatrouilles.

The promotion on Wednesday evening is also an answer from the police to the criticism of the neighborhood. « We show again that we are present in the neighborhood, » says police spokesman Wouter Bruyns. « In the last few weeks it became clear that the nuisance in the Seefhoek is great. We want to make it clear that the police share and intervene those concerns where it is needed. »

The action is directed against drugs, nuisance and people who stay in the country illegally and will continue for some time. At the moment, five administrative arrests have been made, for public drunkenness, violating the alcohol ban on the Coninckplein and illegality. Several arrested people had tools such as screwdrivers, a cutting tongs and a break knife with them. It is still being considered whether the latter was worn as a forbidden weapon. The police will remain in the area for further checks for the rest of the evening.

A group of men who were on the corner of Van Schoonhovenstraat and the Coninckplein and were checked in front of the cameras were not happy. « I just want to come chilling here, if they checked because I had done something wrong, I would still understand. But this was ridiculous, it was certainly not coincidental that all those cameras were there. » Another controlled man had a little more understanding for the action. « There are many junkies here. »