Security: anti-drug commissioner, €10M for stations, stable crime rate

Shots fired at the Démosthène police station in Anderlecht (21 August 2026)

On the night of Friday 21 to Saturday 22 August 2026, shortly before midnight, two people who arrived on an e-scooter opened fire on the façade of the police station on rue Démosthène in Anderlecht, then fled. Impacts are visible on the building and bullets went through the door that was targeted. The station was closed at the time and nobody was injured.

The building is the former central station of the Midi police zone, covering Anderlecht, Saint-Gilles and Forest. It has been gradually emptied since the new station on rue des Deux Gares opened, and the municipality wants to sell it. A few teams are still based there.

The zone's chief of police points to reprisals following the operations carried out over the summer, which he says involved many arrests and seizures. The zone announces reinforced security around its stations and is requesting support from the federal police. The public prosecutor has been informed. The federal interior minister condemned the attack.

What changes compared with the facts already documented on this card, including the three shootings in Molenbeek in late July, is the nature of the target: a police facility, not a dealing point or a home.

Sources: BX1 (22 August 2026) ; BRUZZ (22 August 2026) ; VRT NWS (22 August 2026) ; La Libre (22 August 2026). Confidence: official for the sequence of events, confirmed by the zone's chief of police to several newsrooms; the reprisals hypothesis is a police reading and not an established fact, as no arrests have been made at this stage.

North Quarter: Council of State auditors reject the emergency appeals (10 August 2026)

On Monday 10 August 2026, the Council of State heard two appeals against the compulsory night-time closure of shops in the North Quarter, between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m.:

• an emergency suspension appeal brought by Schaerbeek shopkeepers;
• an appeal against the same measure on the Saint-Josse side, brought by a sex worker and by the organisations Espace P and Utsopi.

Both applications alleged shortcomings in the measure's justification, particularly on proportionality.

What the auditors' reports say

The auditors reject the urgency in both cases, finding it insufficiently established. In the Schaerbeek file, the auditor also ruled on the merits, on an extremely urgent basis, in the municipality's favour. No analysis on the merits was issued for the Saint-Josse file.

Both municipalities therefore get a first favourable signal, but with reservations: according to the press, the report is markedly less clear-cut on the merits than on urgency, and leaves doubt about a possible extension beyond the end of September 2026.

Why the distinction matters

An auditor's report is not a judgment. The auditor investigates and proposes; the court decides, and may depart from it. At this stage no judicial decision has been handed down on the measure's legality.

Timeline reminder: the night-time closure was adopted by Schaerbeek and Saint-Josse-ten-Noode in March 2026, took effect in early April, and was extended in June to the end of September 2026. Schaerbeek relaxed the hour to 3 a.m. on Friday-to-Saturday and Saturday-to-Sunday nights and on the eve of public holidays; Saint-Josse did not follow that relaxation.

Sources: L'Avenir (12 August 2026); La DH (12 August 2026). Confidence: unconfirmed. The hearing, the thrust of the auditors' reports and the distinction between the two municipalities are reported by two titles from the same press group; no auditor's report or judgment could be consulted.

Brussels Region to become civil party against Club Brugge hooligans over racist violence in Molenbeek (10 July 2026)

On 10 July 2026, the minister of Solidarity and Equal Opportunities announced that the Brussels-Capital Region will constitute itself as a civil party in the judicial proceedings against Club Brugge hooligans over racist violence committed on 4 May 2025 in Molenbeek-Saint-Jean.

These events, which took place around the Belgian Cup final, are distinct from the antisemitic chants by Club Brugge supporters during the top match RSC Anderlecht – Club Brugge on 3 May 2026 (see the "Antisemitic chants at Anderlecht-Bruges" section further down in this card). This is an earlier and separate episode, involving physical violence rather than chants: Club Brugge supporters had left the designated supporter routes to travel through several Brussels neighbourhoods, where they targeted residents based on real or perceived origin, assaulted shopkeepers, and verbally and physically attacked women, causing several serious injuries.

By becoming a civil party, the Region seeks recognition of harm of its own, distinct from that of the direct victims: damage to its image as an open, inclusive capital, to its equal-opportunity and social-cohesion policies, and to the exceptional public resources the events required. Several defendants will have to answer before the correctional court for assault with the aggravating circumstance of a racist motive. Constituting itself as a civil party does not prejudge the outcome of the criminal trial or the court's ruling on its admissibility.

Sources: be.brussels, cabinet of the minister of Solidarity and Equal Opportunities (10 July 2026); RTBF (10 July 2026). Confidence: official (official ministerial communication).

Verdict in the Clemenceau metro station shooting trial (3 July 2026)

The 47th chamber of the Brussels correctional court ruled on Friday 3 July 2026 in the case of the shooting that took place at the exit of Clemenceau metro station (Anderlecht) on 5 February 2025, an incident widely filmed and shared on social media at the time, which came to symbolise the rise in armed violence and drug-trafficking-related score-settling in the capital.

Two young men, in their early twenties, were convicted. The first was sentenced to 13 years in prison for firing 23 shots in 6 bursts from an AK-47 towards rival dealers moving on scooters, who had taken over the "Clemenceau" drug-dealing point (a street location where drugs are sold) from the group based at the nearby Peterbos housing estate; he fled the scene, cut off his electronic ankle monitor and remained on the run for months, until his arrest on 16 June 2026. The second was sentenced to 11 years: he carried an M4 carbine that he did not fire, claiming he had deliberately sabotaged his own weapon by loading a bullet backwards so that it would jam, a claim the court found not credible, ruling instead that the weapon was simply defective; he too had cut off an ankle monitor before his arrest in April 2026.

No one was injured that morning, though a bullet lodged in a child's bedroom in a neighbouring house. Police were forced to halt the STIB/MIVB metro network while the shooters fled through the tunnels. A third man, aged 73, who hid the weapons at his home afterward, was sentenced to 3 years in prison with probationary suspension for the portion of the sentence beyond time already served in pre-trial detention. All three were ordered to pay a combined EUR 77,800 to STIB to cover the cost of the network disruption. The prosecutor had sought 16 and 14 years respectively for the two younger defendants.

The "Clemenceau" drug-dealing point, like that of Peterbos, illustrates the recurring dynamic of turf wars between drug-dealing points in the Brussels Region, a public-safety issue also documented elsewhere in this card (see the "Escalation of violence in Saint-Gilles" section, April 2026, and the regional drugs commissioner created in June 2026).

Sources: RTBF (3 July 2026); La DH (3 July 2026). Confidence: official (correctional court verdict).

Regional drugs commissioner confirmed (16 June 2026)

On 16 June 2026, the government confirmed before Parliament the creation of a regional drugs commissioner post, set out in the government agreement. The minister-president had nonetheless declared a month earlier that there would be no dedicated commissioner, considering that strong coordination between actors was sufficient; the majority ultimately insisted on a fully-fledged function.

Announced features:

• Budget: 1.5 million euros per year from 2027
• Mission: strengthen the coherence of regional action by coordinating security, prevention and health across the federal, regional and local levels, without overlap with the federal drugs commissioner; the commissioner does not replace existing services
• Profile sought: secondment of a police officer, a magistrate or an administrator
• Partners involved: the Interior minister, the nineteen mayors, the police chiefs and the public prosecutor

The creation responds to the rise in shootings and drug trafficking in Brussels.

Source: BRUZZ Politiek (16 June 2026).

Regional Security Council — strikes on Iran (4 March 2026)

On 4 March 2026, the minister-president convened the Regional Security Council (CORES) following US-Israeli strikes on Iran. The meeting brought together the 19 Brussels mayors, 6 police zone chiefs, the Brussels King's Prosecutor and OCAM representatives.

Belgium's threat level remains at level 3 of 4 ("serious"), unchanged since 16 October 2023. Particular attention is being paid to Israeli, American and Iranian interests on Belgian territory. Police reinforcements were deployed from the preceding weekend.

This was the first activation of CORES under the Dilliès government. Strengthening the Regional Security Council is part of the government accord.

Sources: BX1, DH (4-5 March 2026).

safe.brussels report: state of crime (2024 data)

The annual report of the Brussels Security Observatory (safe.brussels), published on 22 December 2025, provides a factual basis for assessing the RPD's priorities:

Reading: overall crime is not "exploding" in Brussels -- the per-capita rate is declining thanks to population growth (+7.4%). But specific phenomena (drugs, firearms, sexual violence) are rising sharply, which justifies the RPD's targeted priorities (anti-drug commissioner, station security).

Sources: safe.brussels, 2024 annual report (Dec 2025); DH, "la criminalité à Bruxelles n'explose pas" (Jan 2026).

RPD commitments

The Regional Policy Declaration of 13 February 2026 devotes an entire chapter to security, structured around several axes:

Anti-drug efforts

• Regional drugs commissioner: dedicated authority, mirroring the federal mechanism (creation confirmed on 16 June 2026, see above)
• Integrated regional drug plan — chain approach (prevention, harm reduction, enforcement)

Station security

• €10 million investment for Midi and Nord stations
• Coordination with police zones and SNCB

CCTV and police coordination

• Integration of local CCTV systems into the Federal Police central system
• SAFE.Brussels platform interconnected with CGPI
• Possible police zone mergers (subject to federal vote)
• Local neighbourhood policing stations

SIAMU (fire service)

• Two phases of staff reinforcement
• Improved working conditions
• Federal dotation tripled: the Chamber voted on 5 March 2026 to increase funding from EUR 5.7 to 15.4 million/year, correcting a discrimination identified by the Constitutional Court in 2022. Annual indexation from 2027

Other measures

• Dedicated recruitment pathway for security professions targeting Brussels residents
• Combating street harassment, juvenile delinquency, violence against women and children
• Combating drug trafficking and radicalisation

First field action: Gare du Midi (17 February)

Three days after taking office, the minister-president made his first field visit to the Gare du Midi (Brussels South station), accompanied by the State Secretary for Urban Planning and the mayors of Anderlecht and Forest. His assessment: "there is room for improvement in coordination" between the actors present on site (local police zones, Federal Police, SNCB, Stib, communes).

This visit puts into practice the RPD's security priority and illustrates the coordination challenge underlying the €10 million earmarked for securing the Midi and Nord stations.

Additional security commitments (RPD, chapter 7)

The RPD provides for additional security measures:

• Harmonised municipal administrative sanctions (SAC) : regional harmonisation of municipal administrative penalties, ensuring uniform application across the 19 municipalities
• Regional anti-radicalisation unit : dedicated structure for prevention and detection of radicalisation, complementing the federal system (OCAM)
• Regional anti-drug plan : integrated plan covering prevention, harm reduction, treatment and enforcement — coordinated with the regional drug commissioner

These measures have not yet been implemented through executive texts.

SIAMU deployed outside the Region on the Hautes Fagnes fire (14-16 August 2026)

The fire that broke out on Friday 14 August 2026 in the Hautes Fagnes had destroyed more than 2,000 hectares by Saturday evening, close to half the nature reserve, according to the Walloon public service spokesperson. Brussels firefighters were sent as reinforcements. Around 600 people were evacuated in the municipalities of Weismes and Bütgenbach.

The Brussels fact is not the fire itself, which lies outside the Region, but the deployment of SIAMU beyond its territory, the day after the death of one of its officers documented above. No published information establishes the effect of this dual deployment on Brussels operational cover, and nothing warrants drawing a conclusion about staffing from it.

Source: BX1 (16 August 2026). Confidence: unconfirmed.

Regional Security Council of 26 August: unified command and federal reinforcements

On Wednesday 26 August 2026 a Regional Security Council (Cores) met at the headquarters of safe.brussels, convened by the Minister-President after a series of drug-related shootings in Saint-Gilles, Anderlecht and Molenbeek, and after shots were fired at the rue Démosthène police station. Justice, the Interior, the Brussels prosecutor's office, the Region, the mayors and the federal police took part.

Three separate announcements came out of that day. They do not add up, and no source consolidates them into a total.

The Cores. Forty federal officers reinforce street presence and investigative capacity. Twenty mobile cameras are to be installed within twenty days in the neighbourhoods concerned. Officers from other zones support the Brussels-Midi zone, particularly in the evening and at night. A permanent coordination unit is set up within safe.brussels linking local and federal police, Justice, municipalities, the Region, health and prevention services.

The mayors. They appoint, with immediate effect, a single commander to steer the six Brussels police zones, a role taken by the chief of the Brussels-Capital/Ixelles zone. The anti-gang and dog brigades come under that command.

The federal level. The Interior Minister makes a federal reserve platoon available and announces fifty additional officers, on top of the seventy-seven by which the federal police in Brussels had already been reinforced. He calls the situation a "national emergency" and refers to discussions on a greater military presence, the opening of closed centres and the registration of scooters.

On curfews. The Minister-President reminded mayors that they may impose curfews or resident-only access zones in the most sensitive locations. These are municipal powers: nothing of the kind was decided at regional level, and no municipality had announced any at the time of writing.

Sources: BX1 (27 August 2026) ; VRT NWS (26 August 2026) ; RTBF (26 August 2026) ; BRUZZ, Le Soir, La Libre, L'Avenir (26 August 2026). Confidence: official for the decisions announced publicly at the close of the Cores, corroborated by four press groups. The headcounts remain political announcements: no decree, budget note or deployment schedule has been published.

Shootings: fifty-seven over the first seven months of 2026

The federal police recorded 57 shootings across the nineteen Brussels municipalities between January and July 2026, with 2 dead and 21 injured. For the whole of 2025 the count was 101 shootings, 8 dead and 43 injured.

Measured over the same span, the 2026 pace is therefore slightly lower than 2025 in number of incidents, and markedly lower in casualties. That nuance is invisible in the late-August sequence, which concentrated several incidents into a few days: two shootings on the night of 23 to 24 August, in Molenbeek around midnight and in Saint-Gilles around three in the morning, each leaving one person injured. Two suspects were arrested in Saint-Gilles on the night of 24 to 25 August, with four firearms seized including two military-grade weapons.

The two deaths of 2026 occurred in January in Saint-Josse-ten-Noode and in mid-July in Molenbeek-Saint-Jean.

VRT cited sixty-two shootings since January as of 24 August, without attributing the figure. BGM retains the fifty-seven from the federal police, the only figure attributed to an authority.

Sources: BX1 (21 August 2026), on federal police data ; VRT NWS (24 August 2026) ; La Libre, L'Avenir (25 August 2026). Confidence: official for the federal police count over seven months; unconfirmed for the unattributed total of sixty-two.

Regional drug commissioner: eight candidates, many tasks, little power

The appointment of the regional drug commissioner foreseen in the regional policy declaration is entering its final stage. Eight candidates are in the running. Selection closes at the end of September 2026, with the post taken up shortly after. The mandate runs five years, renewable once.

The panel brings together the Minister-President, the Brussels public prosecutor, safe.brussels, a representative of the Brussels police chiefs, an academic and the national drug commissioner.

The announced remit is broad: an integrated drug plan built around a hotspot strategy, identification of neighbourhoods requiring targeted police action, a task force against money laundering, coordination of inspection services and police operations, and stewardship of neighbourhood information networks.

The means are far narrower. The future commissioner will have no police force of their own, and no power is taken away from the prosecutor's office, the police zones or the municipalities. Effectiveness will depend entirely on cooperation from existing institutions, in a Region where police coordination is precisely the weakness the post is meant to fix.

Source: BRUZZ (25 August 2026). Confidence: estimated. A single source, but detailed and specific on the panel's composition and the timetable. No appointment decree has been published to date.

Emergency sittings requested in two assemblies (24-25 August 2026)

After the late-August shootings, three requests for emergency sittings were tabled. The PS asked for the Justice and Interior committees of the federal Chamber to convene. The N-VA and Vlaams Belang called for an emergency Interior committee in the Brussels Parliament. Les Engagés asked for a Regional Security Council within seven days, since convened.

Sources: Knack (24 August 2026) ; BRUZZ (25 August 2026). Confidence: unconfirmed. Political requests; no sitting date was fixed at the time of writing.

Sources and methodology

The commitments documented above come from the official text of the RPD (chapter 7) and from concordant press sources covering the government agreement of 12 February 2026.

Gare du Nord hotspot task force (March 2026)

On 16 March 2026, the mayors of Schaerbeek (Martin de Brabant, MR) and Saint-Josse (Emir Kir) jointly announced a set of measures for the Quartier Nord hotspot, adopted within the framework of the Local Task Force:

Immediate measures:

• Night closure of all public establishments in the perimeter between 1am and 6am (prostitution venues included) — municipal decree in both municipalities
• Harmonised hours between Schaerbeek and Saint-Josse (ending the arbitrage of crossing to the other side of the street)
• Extension of the public alcohol consumption ban
• Reinforced camera coverage — federal support expected
• E-scooter speed limit in free-floating mode reduced to 8 km/h in the zone
• Reactivation of "safe places" and local prevention partnership

Medium-term measures:

• Integrity investigations into shops in the area (suspected money laundering)
• Redevelopment of rue d'Aerschot, linked to the Station Plan (EUR 10 million envelope)

Sources: La Libre, DH (16-18 March 2026).

Ordinance operational — Royale Layalina incident (14 April 2026)

The municipal night-closure ordinance came into force in early April 2026 (initial duration three months, renewable). On the night of Saturday 14 April, police escorted out 120 people from the Royale Layalina nightclub on Rue Royale in Saint-Josse — the first public incident under the ordinance.

The manager publicly denounces the economic impact: "120 customers cancelled, French DJ cancelled, deposit paid" and warns of a "short-term bankruptcy" risk. He indicates he is preparing an emergency court order (référé) against the ordinance, a procedure that can result in a quick but provisional ruling. The cabinet of Saint-Josse mayor Emir Kir confirms that no exceptions will be granted.

Legal scope: the référé is distinct from a Council of State appeal — the référé seeks rapid suspension, while the Council of State can be seized in parallel for a substantive annulment.

Sources: La Libre (15 April 2026); DH (15 April 2026); L'Avenir (15 April 2026). Confidence: official.

Escalation of violence in Saint-Gilles (15-18 April 2026)

Three serious incidents hit Saint-Gilles over four nights, in the context of a territorial war between criminal organisations linked to drug trafficking.

Mayor Jean Spinette (PS) described the scene as "hallucinatory" after a school was directly hit, speaking of "gangrene" and organised crime. Explicit stance: "Brussels does not need soldiers, but investigators and patrols to secure residents' nights." He calls for reinforced investigative capacity rather than a Green Shield deployment.

Police response: reinforced presence day and night, mobilisation of the communal Prevention Service, additional federal resources. A meeting with affected residents is organised. See also the municipality of Saint-Gilles.

Sources: RTBF (18 April 2026); BX1 (18 April 2026). Confidence: official.

Explosion in Schaerbeek (13 March 2026)

On Friday 13 March 2026, a detonation occurred in the evening on avenue Albert Giraud in Schaerbeek. It was a pyrotechnic device according to the Brussels-North police zone spokesperson (Victoire Lorand). A judicial exclusion perimeter was established. The federal police laboratory and a fire expert were called in. No injuries were reported.

Source: La Libre (14 March 2026).

Operation Green Shield: 200 soldiers deployed (23 March 2026)

On 19 March 2026, federal Interior Minister Bernard Quintin (MR) and Defence Minister Theo Francken (N-VA) signed the military deployment agreement dubbed Operation Green Shield. On 23 March 2026, 200 soldiers are deployed simultaneously in Brussels and Antwerp, with a subsequent extension to Liege. Including rotations, approximately 600 personnel are mobilised. 50 soldiers were already assigned to nuclear site security.

Context: rising antisemitism -- attack on the Liege synagogue on 21 March, attempted attack in Antwerp on 24 March. Belgium's threat level remains at level 3 of 4 ("serious").

Missions:

• Static surveillance of Jewish community sites (synagogues, schools)
• Joint police/military patrols in train stations and STIB/MIVB stops -- reinforced security in metro stations and Brussels train stations
• FIPA operations (integrated large-scale police operations): combating drug trafficking and organised crime in the Brussels-Capital Region

Duration: three months initially, reduction to 90 soldiers if extended beyond that. Joint patrols in Brussels will effectively start only from April 2026 (BX1).

This is a federal measure with direct impact on Brussels. The federal Justice Minister criticised the initial announcement, stating it had not been discussed in the Council of Ministers.

Sources: RTBF (16, 19 and 23 March 2026), BX1, La Libre, DH, L'Avenir, BusinessAM (23 March 2026).

Assault at Anderlecht CPAS (25 March 2026)

On Wednesday 25 March 2026, around 10:30am, an individual assaulted a security guard at the Anderlecht CPAS (public social welfare centre) as well as two police officers from the Brussels-Midi zone. The man, locked in an interview booth, destroyed the furniture before being subdued by a canine unit. The CPAS was closed for the afternoon.

This incident reflects rising tensions at Brussels CPAS centres, linked to the federal unemployment reform (benefit exclusions) that is placing increasing pressure on social welfare centres.

E-scooter Accidents

The Vias Institute recorded 541 injuries in e-scooter accidents in Brussels in 2024. In Q1 2025, the increase reached +62% nationally and +44% in Brussels. The Region accounts for 45% of all e-scooter accidents in the country. Among seriously injured victims, 60% suffered head injuries.

Source: Vias Institute, 2024-2025 analyses.

Military extension: 45 additional soldiers in stations and metro (3 April 2026)

From 3 April 2026, 45 additional soldiers are deployed in train stations and metro stations in Brussels, carrying out mixed patrols with the railway police. This brings the total military presence in public space to approximately 245 soldiers (200 from Operation Green Shield + 45 station reinforcements).

Legal grey area: the deployment takes place in a legal void — the Defence codex, which is supposed to provide the legal framework for domestic military operations, has not yet been voted by Parliament. Legal experts have raised concerns about the constitutional basis for sustained military presence in civilian spaces without explicit legislative authorisation. The current deployment relies on emergency executive decisions rather than a proper legal framework.

Sources: BX1, DH (April 2026).

Fraud investigation: ex-director of the police academy (April 2026)

A fraud investigation has been opened against the former director of the Brussels police academy. The investigation concerns suspected financial irregularities in the management of the academy. Details remain limited as the judicial inquiry is ongoing.

Source: press reports (April 2026).

Brussels-North zone: crime down 12% in 2025

The Brussels-North police zone (Polbruno: Schaerbeek, Evere, Saint-Josse) presented its 2025 results on 3 April 2026:

Violence remains concentrated in the North Quarter, which requires "more than ever" particular attention. Persistent challenges: violent robberies, domestic violence, cybercrime.

Source: BX1 / La Libre / DH (3-4 April 2026). Confidence: official (police zone).

Delta advanced post: new SIAMU station in Ixelles (14-17 April 2026)

From Tuesday 14 April to Friday 17 April 2026, SIAMU relocates to its new Delta advanced post, Boulevard du Triomphe in Ixelles. Operational coverage is maintained without interruption from the new infrastructure from the first day of transfer.

New building specifications:

Innovation — post-fire decontamination system: the Delta post integrates a decontamination system presented as unique in Belgium, with two separate circuits for equipment and personnel between dirty zone (returning from intervention, contaminated) and clean zone (changing rooms, rest). Objective: reduce firefighter exposure to carcinogenic residues after intervention — a well-documented occupational health concern in the profession.

This commissioning puts into practice the "improved working conditions" strand of chapter 7 of the RPD and complements the increase in the federal SIAMU dotation voted on 5 March 2026 (from EUR 5.7M to 15.4M/year, correcting the constitutional discrimination identified in 2022).

Sources: BX1 — The new Delta advanced post (15 April 2026); DH — Firefighters move into new Delta station (15 April 2026). Confidence: official.

Brabantwijk (Schaerbeek): positive results after one month of mandatory night closure (May 2026)

Mayor of Schaerbeek Martin de Brabant (MR) presented a first assessment of the mandatory night closure (1am–6am) in the Brabantwijk, in force since early April 2026:

• Sharp drop in criminal offences recorded by police during closing hours
• Significant reduction in noise for local residents
• Measure described as a success by the mayor

Source: BRUZZ Economie (9 May 2026). Confidence: official (mayoral statement).

Quartier Brabant: night-time closure extended by three months and adapted (June 2026)

The municipalities of Schaerbeek and Saint-Josse-ten-Noode are extending the night-time closure of businesses (1am-6am) in the Quartier Brabant, a sector of the Quartier Nord straddling both municipalities, by three months until the end of September 2026. The measure, in force since early April, is renewed but adapted following field feedback.

Announced adaptations:

• In Schaerbeek (municipal council vote on 26 June), the closing time is relaxed to 3am on weekends and the evenings before public holidays.
• In Saint-Josse-ten-Noode (vote on 30 June), the hours remain unchanged, but Rue Royale is excluded from the perimeter.
• The accompanying tax exemptions are extended.

Statistical justification put forward by the local councils: the share of violent incidents committed between 1am and 6am is said to have fallen from twenty-three percent in the first quarter to seven point seven percent in May, and violent robberies would have declined (from fifteen to seven). This assessment follows on from the April first review (share of night-time assaults reduced from twenty to eleven point five percent, see previous section). According to the municipalities, approximately three in four local residents support the measure.

Sources: RTBF (23 June 2026); BRUZZ (23 June 2026); La DH (23 June 2026). Confidence: unconfirmed (municipal announcements and press; votes of 26 and 30 June, decrees still to be published).

Antisemitic chants at Anderlecht-Bruges: judicial investigation opened (9 May 2026)

The Brussels public prosecutor's office announced on Saturday 9 May 2026 the opening of a judicial investigation following antisemitic chants by Club Brugge supporters during the top match RSC Anderlecht – Club Brugge on Sunday 3 May 2026. Club Brugge chairman Bart Verhaeghe is expected to be questioned.

Sources: BX1, La Libre Belgique, BRUZZ (9 May 2026). Confidence: official (Brussels prosecutor's office).

Police-zone merger: new political swing (18-19 May 2026)

Six days after the Chamber plenary vote (13 May), the merger of the six Brussels police zones into a single zone enters a new sequence. On 18 May 2026, the Mayor of Evere announced his intention to file an appeal, joining Brulocalis (Association of Brussels Cities and Municipalities), which had already announced an appeal to the Constitutional Court, and several mayors who had filed individually. On 19 May 2026, BRUZZ reports that a key Flemish demand in the file has been met — a political concession presented as the trigger for the municipal appeal. The federal Interior minister had publicly acknowledged on 16 May that the file had taken on "unfortunately a communitarian flavour". Continued in the fusion-polices dossier.

Sources: BRUZZ — Mayor of Evere seeks to appeal the merger (18 May 2026); BRUZZ — Police-zone merger: key Flemish demand met (19 May 2026). Confidence: official.

Death in the Heysel — Roi Baudouin metro tunnel (15 May 2026)

On the night of Friday 15 to Saturday 16 May 2026, a woman in her fifties was found dead in a metro tunnel between Heysel and Roi Baudouin stations. Service was disrupted for several hours. Confirmed by Le Soir, La Libre, L'Avenir and BX1. The cause of death and exact circumstances (fall, intrusion, other) have not yet been publicly documented; STIB and police are carrying out the standard checks. The incident raises questions for the RPD commitment station-security (securing stations and platforms).

Source: Le Soir (16 May 2026). Confidence: official.

Brussels Pride 2026: 30th edition, 216,000 attendees and tensions (16-17 May 2026)

The 30th Brussels Pride was held on Saturday 16 May 2026 in central Brussels, gathering, according to the organisers, 216,000 attendees (figure relayed by La Libre and Le Vif). The police tally published on 17 May reports 29 arrests linked to protests against the presence of the N-VA in the parade. Three queer artists were also victims of a violent assault on the margins of the parade; a complaint has been filed (La Libre, BX1). The Wallonia-Brussels Federation Health minister has announced an unprecedented action plan against LGBTQIA+ violence (see social card).

Sources: La Libre — 216,000 attendees (17 May 2026); La Libre — 3 artists assaulted (17 May 2026). Confidence: official.

Explosion on rue de la Borne in Molenbeek (19 May 2026)

On Tuesday 19 May 2026 at around 02:10, an explosion occurred at rue de la Borne (Paalstraat) no. 6 in Molenbeek-Saint-Jean. Several windows along the street were shattered; the shopfront and shutter of a Syrian bakery were also damaged. No casualties. On site: Brussels firefighters, Brussels-West police zone, federal police laboratory and DOVO (the Belgian explosive ordnance disposal unit) for expert assessment. The Brussels public prosecutor's office has taken up the case. The mayor visited the site. The circumstances remain undetermined; a local shopkeeper raised the possibility of a settling of scores, a hypothesis the police have not confirmed.

Source: BRUZZ — Multiple windows shattered in Molenbeek explosion (19 May 2026). Confidence: official.

6,000 nitrous-oxide canisters stolen in Hal after seizure (19 May 2026)

Approximately 6,000 nitrous-oxide canisters seized by the Brussels-Ixelles police were stolen from a storage facility in Hal (Halle, Flemish Brabant) before their destruction. The case raises questions about the judicial chain of custody for seized goods. Nitrous oxide has been subject to heightened vigilance in the Brussels Region since 2023 (diverted recreational use, public health). Multi-source: RTBF, BRUZZ, HLN, VRT.

Source: RTBF (19 May 2026). Confidence: official.

SIAMU: shift reorganisation plan at the concertation committee of 28 May 2026

The agenda of the concertation committee of 28 May 2026 includes a shift reorganisation plan put forward by the management of the Brussels Fire and Emergency Medical Service (SIAMU). The plan calls for cutting the daily on-duty roster from 161 to 153 staff, after an initial reduction from 173 to 161 in 2025. In concrete terms, management proposes:

• the removal of one fire engine at the Anderlecht station (currently equipped with two), which covers Anderlecht, Forest and parts of Uccle and Ixelles;
• the removal of one ladder at the Cité station (administrative city centre, Pacheco sector);
• a total equivalent to eight fewer staff per shift.

The joint union front (SLFP/VSOA cited) opposes the plan: « for the Anderlecht sector, we are talking about 14 fire-engine call-outs on average per 24-hour shift. By cutting the staff for one engine, we would go to 14 call-outs with a single engine. Response times will lengthen and firefighters' own health is also put at risk. »

This trajectory runs counter to the RPD commitment (chapter 7) that provides for two phases of SIAMU staff reinforcement. The siamu-reinforcement commitment in the Claim Tracker is accordingly moved to delayed status, pending the outcome of the 28 May concertation committee.

Note that the investment trajectory for SIAMU remains positive in parallel: the federal dotation has been tripled (€5.7 → €15.4M/year, voted on 5 March) and the Delta advanced post in Ixelles has been operational since 14 April 2026. The tension therefore concerns daily operational staffing, distinct from dotations and real estate.

Source: DH Bruxelles (26 May 2026). Confidence: official (committee agenda, union statement).

SIAMU: management and unions jointly demand structural refinancing (11 June 2026)

In an unusual move, on 11 June 2026 the joint union front and the management of the Brussels fire service called together on the Brussels government to proceed 'without delay with a structural refinancing' of the SIAMU so that it can 'fully carry out its essential missions'. According to their statement, the savings measures translate into:

• a structural decrease in operational and administrative staffing, as the prolonged recruitment freeze does not offset departures;
• slower handling of emergency calls, for lack of staff at the call centre;
• rescue vehicles taken out of service due to staff shortages;
• insufficient means to organise mandatory training.

'Public safety and staff well-being cannot serve as budgetary adjustment variables', they stress. This joint management-union move extends the standoff opened by the shift reorganisation plan of 28 May (see previous section) and sharpens the tension with the SIAMU reinforcement commitment in the DPR (siamu-reinforcement commitment, status 'delayed').

Source: DH Bruxelles (11 June 2026). Confidence: unconfirmed (statement reported by the press).

SIAMU: total 24-hour strike announced for 21 July 2026

On 19 July 2026, SIAMU's joint union front called for a total 24-hour strike on Tuesday 21 July 2026. Strikers will stay home, except for official requisition to ensure essential interventions.

Unions denounce:

• a reduction in on-duty staff numbers (see the 28 May 2026 reorganisation plan above);
• the removal of rescue vehicles;
• forced transfers decided without consultation;
• a regional plan to abolish two public holidays (2 and 15 November);
• the introduction of an annual staff evaluation, perceived as added pressure.

Staff had already demanded 200 additional officers in May 2026. An earlier 24-hour strike took place on 31 December 2025 over the staff shortage. According to the joint union front, "the time for sterile discussions is over".

This strike extends the standoff documented in the two previous sections and confirms the delayed status of the siamu-reinforcement commitment in the Claim Tracker. No official response from the Brussels government or SIAMU management was available as of 20 July 2026.

Sources: La Libre (19 July 2026, Belga); BX1; DH; L'Avenir; BRUZZ. Confidence: official (multi-sourced union announcement), no confirmed government response at this stage.

SIAMU: strike continues, service at 30% (21-22 July 2026)

The total SIAMU strike that began on 21 July 2026 continued the following day, with only around 30% of operational service available according to BRUZZ. On 22 July, minister-president Boris Dilliès met with union representatives; no agreement was reached at the end of the meeting, and the strike remained on the agenda.

The government is proposing the recruitment of 40 additional firefighters by the end of the year, a review of selection procedures, and infrastructure investments. The joint union front (CGSP, spokesperson Patrick Giebens) considers these proposals insufficient given an expected loss of 60 to 70 firefighters between the start and end of the year, and notes that only 1 to 2 million euros of the 10 million promised at federal level for staff expansion appear to have been allocated. No general assembly was planned as of this date, with unions stating that "a general assembly serves no purpose as long as there are no real proposals".

This impasse confirms the delayed trajectory of the siamu-reinforcement commitment in the Claim Tracker, already shifted to "delayed" status since the shift reorganisation plan of May 2026.

Sources: RTBF (22 July 2026); BRUZZ (22 July 2026); La DH (22 July 2026); La Libre Bruxelles (21 July 2026). Confidence: unconfirmed (statements reported by the press, no primary government or union release available).

SIAMU: government announces 132 recruitments and EUR 10M, strike continues (23 July 2026)

On 23 July 2026, the Brussels government approved a SIAMU reinforcement plan:

• 132 recruitments in total by the end of 2027: 40 from the end of 2026, 20 in March 2027, then three groups of 24 in the second half of 2027
• EUR 10 million in investment: EUR 2 million immediately for priority projects (the Anderlecht and VUB sites), EUR 8 million more for projects to be determined through consultation with staff
• A new dedicated career framework for ambulance staff, to strengthen emergency medical assistance services

The joint union front (ACV, spokesperson Steven Gilissen) is maintaining the strike, which continues with reduced operational capacity. Unions reject the government's precondition of suspending the action before any negotiation: "We are not going to suspend our actions to sit at the table. We want to negotiate today." Their reservations concern in particular the lack of clarity in how the EUR 10 million will be allocated, the risk that unused funds will be returned to the government at year-end, and the absence of preparatory work on recruitment reserves despite repeated requests.

This announcement marks a notable shift from earlier proposals (40 recruitments by the end of the year, judged insufficient by unions on 22 July) but is not, at this stage, enough to end the dispute.

Sources: BX1 (23 July 2026); La DH (23 July 2026). Confidence: official (government decision confirmed by two independent sources, direct union quotes).

SIAMU: pre-agreement and suspension of the strike after five days (25 July 2026)

On Saturday 25 July 2026, on the fifth day of the strike, a pre-agreement was reached between the Brussels government and the joint union front of the fire service. The unions called for the action to be suspended, not ended: the agreement must still be validated by the union rank and file, consulted in the following days.

Content of the agreement as reported by staff representatives:

• New recruitment campaigns launched as quickly as possible, with hires from 2026 and a more substantial reinforcement of teams in 2027
• Rapid integration of new recruits into a waiting regime
• Creation of recruitment reserves, to speed up future replacements
• Allocation of the 10 million euro federal envelope: over 8 million for operational staff and the 112 emergency call centre, 2 million for infrastructure works
• Reinforcement of the 112 centre and maintenance of existing pay scales and statutory conditions

Two important clarifications on the figures:

• The 10 million euros is a federal dotation, not an investment of the Region's own. It resolves the uncertainty noted on 23 July over the allocation of the 8 million "to be determined".
• The timetable for the 132 recruitments announced on 23 July breaks down as 40 in 2026, 20 more by March 2027 and 72 more by December 2027.

Over the weekend preceding the agreement, operational availability had continued to deteriorate: on 25 July, 17% of staff were on duty according to La DH, against around 30% on 22 July according to BRUZZ. Firefighters warned that delays in handling calls and in certain interventions could not be ruled out.

The rank-and-file consultation returned its result on 27 July (see the next section): the agreement was validated and the suspension confirmed. The siamu-reinforcement commitment in the Claim Tracker thereby emerges from the deadlock documented since May 2026, without being fulfilled.

Sources: RTBF (25 July 2026) ; BX1 (25 July 2026) ; La Libre (25 July 2026) ; La DH — 17% of staff (25 July 2026) ; BRUZZ (25 July 2026). Confidence: unconfirmed (pre-agreement announced by the union organisations and relayed by the reference press; no primary government statement; validated by the staff general assembly on 27 July 2026).

Three shootings in Molenbeek-Saint-Jean in 48 hours (24-25 July 2026)

The Brussels-West police zone reported three shootings in Molenbeek-Saint-Jean over two consecutive nights:

• 24 July, around 2.15am, avenue de Roovere (near the West station): several bullet impacts recorded, notably on the glass entrance door of a building. No casualties, no suspects apprehended. Another shooting occurred in Anderlecht within the same night-time window.
• 24 July, around 11.30pm, rue Heyvaert: one person wounded in the leg, taken to hospital, life not in danger according to initial information.
• 25 July, around 10.10pm, avenue de Roovere: a man wounded by gunfire; on arrival, officers observed a parked vehicle at the scene.

The incidents were reported to the Brussels public prosecutor's office and investigations are ongoing. The aggregate count of a "fourth shooting in one week" circulating in the Dutch-language press is not attributed to a police zone statement and is therefore not reproduced here as an established fact: only the incidents above, individually sourced to the Brussels-West zone, are.

This series fits the pattern of score-settling around drug dealing points documented elsewhere in this card, and forms context for the mandate of the regional drugs commissioner created in June 2026.

Sources: BX1 (26 July 2026) ; La Libre (25 July 2026) ; BX1 — two shootings Anderlecht/Molenbeek (24 July 2026) ; La DH (25 July 2026). Confidence: unconfirmed (facts attributed to the Brussels-West police zone via the press; investigations ongoing, no judicial qualification established).

SIAMU: general assembly validates the suspension, strike notice maintained until end of September (27 July 2026)

On Monday 27 July 2026, the general assembly of Brussels fire service staff unanimously decided to suspend the strike movement launched on 21 July. The rank-and-file consultation left open by the 25 July pre-agreement therefore confirmed the joint union front's position. It ends the longest mobilisation of the Brussels fire service documented by BGM.

Three elements frame this outcome:

• The strike notice remains in force. The action is suspended, not closed: the unions retain the ability to resume action without filing a new notice.
• A deadline set for the end of September 2026. The unions state they will resume mobilisation if the commitments made by the Brussels government and the SIAMU management, namely 132 recruitments by the end of 2027 and the 10 million euro federal envelope, are not delivered by that date.
• A deliberate strategic choice. According to the joint union front, the movement was "very powerful and effective"; rather than risk it running out of steam by prolonging it, the general assembly chose to preserve its bargaining position for the negotiations that follow. The unions say they will strengthen their internal organisation by designating focal points in each grouping.

A possible second front, but at federal level. The unions signal that a second social front could open from September 2026, this time at federal level: pensions, recognition of occupational cancers, the physical demands of the job, and end-of-career conditions. These demands fall to the federal government and are explicitly distinguished by the unions from the regional demands on SIAMU funding and staffing, which alone are covered by the 25 July agreement. Such a movement would therefore not be a resumption of the Brussels dispute, but a separate case.

For the Claim Tracker, the siamu-reinforcement commitment stays at "announced" status: the dispute has been defused, but none of the 132 announced recruitments has been delivered at this stage. The next meaningful check falls at the end of September 2026, the deadline the unions set themselves.

Sources: RTBF (27 July 2026) ; La Libre (27 July 2026) ; La DH (27 July 2026) ; L'Avenir (27 July 2026) ; Le Vif (27 July 2026). Confidence: unconfirmed (general assembly decision reported by the reference press and the Belga news agency; no primary statement from the Brussels government or SIAMU).

Prevention: 14 of the 39 subsidised projects not renewed in 2026 (4 August 2026)

The Global Security and Prevention Plan (GSPP) is the instrument through which the Region subsidises the frontline associations that work upstream of enforcement: street work, mediation, harm reduction, prevention among young people.

The Brussels government approved the 2026 plan on 9 July 2026. Its contents were revealed by the press on 27 July and notified to the associations on 4 August 2026. The outcome:

• 14 of the 39 projects funded in 2025 are not renewed, amounting to 725,815 euros withdrawn
• 22 projects are maintained, 2 see their funding reduced, 1 remains undecided
• The total envelope of the 2026 plan stands at 6.8 million euros in subsidies

Among the organisations affected, Modus Vivendi, which runs the country's only drug testing centre and monitors the possible arrival of fentanyl in Brussels, loses 212,000 euros across two programmes, of which 85,595 euros for testing. Dune, working with drug users, drops from 116,875 euros in 2025 to 59,375 euros in 2026. Teach for Belgium loses around 127,500 euros. Les Grignoux, Foyer, Sohab, Arts & Publics, Réseau Intersection, 2Bouts, Medimmigrant, JES, CIDJ, the Red Cross and Femmes de Droit are among the projects not renewed.

The amount allocated to Transit, the plan's main beneficiary and operator of the drug consumption rooms, is reported differently across newsrooms: full funding retained according to BX1, a reduction of around 271,000 euros according to La DH. The figure is not used here as long as the approved documents remain unpublished.

Why this matters for this domain. Regional security policy rests on a chain announced in three links: prevention, harm reduction and enforcement. The last two are scaling up, with a regional drugs commissioner funded at 1.5 million euros a year from 2027 and a Stations Plan of 10 million euros a year. The first link sees its association funding fall within the same budget year. The sector had already raised the alarm in April 2026, when forty associations supported under this framework reported that only partial coverage of the first quarter was confirmed.

Neither the administration nor the relevant cabinet has made public the documents approved in early July, which makes the selection criteria impossible to verify. The amounts above come from the notifications received by the associations and relayed by the press, not from a primary administrative source.

See also the dossier Security Plan and the sector Non-profit.

Sources: DH (27 July 2026) ; BX1 (4 August 2026) ; L'Avenir (4 August 2026) ; BRUZZ (4 August 2026). Confidence: estimated on individual amounts, official on the decision and its timeline.

A Brussels firefighter killed on duty at Treurenberg (14 August 2026)

On Friday 14 August 2026, at around 1.30 pm, two blasts occurred in the Single Resolution Board building at 22 Treurenberg, close to Brussels Central Station. Sergeant-Major Olivier Francotte, of the 21st company of the Brussels Fire Brigade, lost his life. A second firefighter and two Sibelga staff were seriously injured.

What is established

• A contractor laying fibre optic cable accidentally drilled into a low-pressure gas pipe.
• About a hundred people had been evacuated from the building and a safety perimeter set up before the explosions.
• According to Sibelga's spokesperson, the blasts did not occur at the damaged pipe but inside the building, where gas had accumulated. The second, more powerful blast caused the death.
• The Brussels Labour Audit Office has opened a case, an autopsy was requested, and an expert examination of the building interior was scheduled for Saturday 15 August.

What is not established

The corps' trade unions immediately linked the incident to SIAMU resources, calling for investment in equipment and staff. The Mayor of the City of Brussels called for lessons to be drawn quickly. These statements do not establish a cause. No published evidence to date links SIAMU equipment or staffing levels to how this intervention unfolded. Only the Labour Audit Office investigation can establish responsibility.

Why this matters for this domain

This is the first death in service of a SIAMU officer documented on this card. It comes three weeks after the end of a five-day industrial dispute specifically about the service's funding and staffing, closed by a preliminary agreement on 25 July 2026 and a suspension of the strike endorsed on 27 July, with a strike notice maintained until the end of September 2026.

For the Claim Tracker, the siamu-reinforcement commitment remains at "announced" status. The 132 planned recruitments by the end of 2027 and the federal envelope of 10 million euros have seen no verifiable progress since 27 July. The accident does not change that status, but it makes the end-of-September check more sensitive.

Sources: La Libre (14 August 2026) ; L'Avenir (14 August 2026) ; BRUZZ (15 August 2026). Confidence: unconfirmed (facts reported by the reference press and the Belga news agency, with the casualty count confirmed by the Labour Audit Office; no primary release from SIAMU or the Region at this stage).