The mayor of La Roche-en-Ardenne Guy Gilloteaux yesterday issued a police order providing for the expulsion of 240 scouts from Willebroek (Antwerp), this Wednesday afternoon, following several acts of nuisance.
The mayor recalls that this camp was initially to take place in the town of Hotton. “There was probably overbooking there. They went around the region, there was a possibility that emerged in Samrée. I showed a kindness that I shouldn’t have had“, specifies Guy Gilloteaux.
Nuisances
According to him, nuisances have already been noted during the pre-camp with music until 3:00 am. “There was a first intervention by the police. On July 21, there was an altercation with the owner of a chip shop. On July 24, they started a fire despite a police order prohibiting it due to the drought. Hygiene issues were also noted. For several days, they had no toilet and relieved themselves in a nearby field, the farmer complained. Then, their foliage did not offer the necessary comfort compared to the public domain. I have also been told of begging while we are asking the camps not to organize this kind of activity anymore.
Finally, tonight “there have been acts of intrusion into private property“, continues the mayor. The latter affirms that the police, a student in charge of the camps and the administrative service of the municipality warned the leaders of the camp before this police order was taken.
Twenty members of this camp will still be tolerated on site until Saturday in order to dismantle the equipment. Currently, the municipality hosts twenty-six different camps throughout its territory.
Reactions on the Flemish side
The Scouts en Gidsen Vlaanderen federation regrets that the mayor of La Roche-en-Ardenne ordered the expulsion of a group of scouts from Willebroek because of nuisance and hopes that mediation can be carried out.
The Flemish association confirms that complaints have indeed been lodged for fires, strictly prohibited by the municipality due to the drought, noise pollution and health problems. “Unit leaders who behave inappropriately can be called to account,” said Scouts en Gidsen Vlaanderen spokesperson Jan Van Reusel. However, he considers the decision to expel 240 young people a few days before the end of their camp “disproportionate”.
The youth movement regrets that all the participants are punished, while not all are responsible for the excesses. Twenty members of this camp will still be tolerated on site until Saturday in order to dismantle the equipment, said the mayor, Guy Gilloteaux. The scouts, however, hope that mediation can allow them to continue their camp, without “legal dispute”.