The mayor of La Roche-en-Ardenne Guy Gilloteaux issued a police order on Tuesday providing for the expulsion of 240 scouts from Willebroek (Antwerp), this Wednesday followingnoon 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 benevolence that I should not have had”specifies Guy Gilloteaux.
According to him, nuisances have already been noted during the pre-camp with music until 3:00 am. “There was an initial intervention by the police. On July 21, there was an altercation with the owner of a chip shop. On July 24, they lit a fire despite a police order prohibiting it in due to the drought. Hygiene problems were also noted. For several days, they had no toilet and were defecating in a nearby field, the farmer complained regarding it. Afterwards, their leaf did not did not offer the necessary comfort in relation to the public domain. I have also been told of begging while we are asking the camps to no longer organize this kind of activity. Finally, this night, there were acts of trespassing on private property”, continues the mayor. The latter affirms that the police, a student in charge of the camps and the administrative department of the municipality warned the camp officials 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 26 different camps throughout its territory.
Their federation wants mediation with the municipality
The Scouts en Gidsen Vlaanderen federation regrets that the mayor of La Roche-en-Ardenne ordered the expulsion 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”précise le porte-parole de Scouts en Gidsen Vlaanderen, Jan Van Reusel.
However, he judges 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.
