2023-09-08 07:33:00
Barely out of the Gare du Nord, on the rue d’Aerschot side, a spectacle of desolation presents itself to us. Between broken windows, homeless people slumped on the sidewalks, drug dealers on street corners, staggering beggars and laughing gas canisters strewn on the ground, the panel of the various problems felt in this sensitive neighborhood jumps directly to the eyes. Unfortunately, so far, nothing new for years. If it is not the recent decision of the Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration Nicole de Moor (CD&V) to prohibit asylum for single men which contributes to further increase the pressure in this area engulfed under construction sites .
“The Secretary of State’s decision is a disgrace!”
This decision is a “shame”, considers Marc Weber, chief cabinet of the mayor of Schaerbeek Cécile Jodogne (Défi). “Nicole de Moor does not care regarding the heads of the people of Brussels! Ignoring lonely men, they head for squats and busy train stations. However, it is the federal government which is competent to ensure safety in and around stations. These people find themselves enlisted in criminal networks, become drug dealers, consumers or petty pickpockets.”
The body of a migrant in transit found between two cars last week
We spent a day in the neighborhood to see the evolution of the situation. It is especially in the morning and in the evening that pickpockets take action in this district where many workers from the neighboring towers transit. Some call on security services to escort them from their office to the station platforms. Arriving first in Maximilian Park, transiting migrants find themselves slumped in the grass on their sleeping bags next to a children’s playground and football pitch. It was near this park that a migrant was killed last week. His body was found between two parked cars in Green Lane. Throughout the day, the park is squatted by undocumented people who cannot be taken care of at the foreigners’ office or at the Petit Château de Fedasil.
“Whether it’s street dealing or major drug trafficking, everything is linked, and we try to act on all links in the chain”
Crack use on the doorstep
Throughout the day, individuals posted on the corner of the street offer hash or cocaine to passers-by trying to make their way on the sidewalk. At the same time, individuals prowl or consume their crack on the doorsteps of local residents, without hiding. The few police patrols seen in the neighborhood no longer stop for this kind of offence. Their reaction time is also often long as they are understaffed and overwhelmed by their numerous missions.
Eden, assaulted in the Stib station of the Gare du Nord. ©DR
Mourad, who owns a lighting store in the rue d’Aerschot, can testify to this. “Recently, I witnessed a shocking scene. A bleeding man was chased by another who held a shard of a bottle in his hand. He then took refuge in my business while his attacker was waiting for him on my sidewalk. His face was bloody. It seems to be a settling of scores between dealers,” he explains. “I witness this kind of scene at least once a week. Rackets and assaults are commonplace. The police recently cleaned up the area, as during the cleaning operation at the Gare du Midi, but the traffickers are quickly returning. This sends back a terrible image to my clientele, which is less and less numerous.”
Pharmacists harassed for Lyrica
The problem of drug consumption is such that pharmacists are regularly harassed by craving drug addicts. “A lot of consumers harass us from 9 a.m. to get their drugs, especially Lyrica (an antidepressant, editor’s note) which is all the rage. But we refuse them because they don’t have a prescription, so they become aggressive and threaten us,” explains a pharmacist.
At rush hour, the already tense situation is further exacerbated by the incessant traffic jams in this compartmentalized district. Many commuters tell us of their concerns when they have to go to the docks. “I prefer to look at the ground when I walk to avoid eye contact with wandering people whose behavior is unpredictable,” says Marc, who works in the neighborhood. “I make sure to walk with colleagues who also take the train in order to form a small group. That way, you feel less vulnerable.”
Around Mons station, the police are keeping watch and tightening the screws: “A lot of weird things are happening that we didn’t know regarding before”
We are particularly surprised to see several groups of children with violent behavior. Thus, a child no more than ten years old did not like our remark when he haphazardly crossed the street while we were riding a bicycle, narrowly missing the accident. He then virulently insulted us in return. Proof of growing insecurity, local residents are armed with weapons, including a telescopic baton, to defend themselves in the event of an attack, as mentioned in the shock report of the Flemish program Terzake. Residents and shopkeepers expect politicians to go beyond institutional quarrels to bring order. “A coordinator will soon be appointed to improve coordination between the various actors in the district”, assures Marc Weber, chief of staff of the mayor of Schaerbeek Cécile Jodogne.
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