Tense commemoration for Fabian (11) at Elisabeth Park, burgomasters present
A year after the death of Fabian, killed by a police vehicle, around one hundred people gathered at Elisabeth Park. The burgomasters of Ganshoren and Koekelberg briefly met with his mother.
A year after the death of Fabian (11): commemoration charged with emotion at Elisabeth Park
According to bruzz.be, around one hundred people gathered on Sunday at Elisabeth Park in Brussels to commemorate the death of Fabian, 11 years old, killed a year ago by a police vehicle that was pursuing him at high speed. The family had described the occasion as one of "silence, memories and emotion".
The exact site of the tragedy had been transformed into a memorial: balloons, candles and a photograph of Fabian. Family members had attached dozens of photographs of the child to a string of lights — in class, at the seaside, in a selfie with his mother, working on a craft project. Drawings made by former classmates were distributed to all those present, intended for his mother, Cristina.
The gathering brought together relatives, local residents, supporters, as well as members of the Moldovan and Romanian communities in Brussels and activists against police violence. "It is important to be here to show that the neighbourhood has not forgotten, that we continue to commemorate Fabian together," said a local resident, Lore. "The feeling that dominates is disbelief. How could this have happened to an eleven-year-old child who had done nothing wrong," added Nadia.
The burgomasters present despite a mixed reception
Jean-Pierre Van Laethem (Les Engagés), burgomaster of Ganshoren, and Olivia P'tito (PS), burgomaster of Koekelberg, also made the journey. The two communes share the territory of Elisabeth Park. They initially stayed apart, then approached shortly after the ceremony began to speak briefly with Fabian's mother. Cristina received a hug; the two burgomasters lit a candle at the site of the accident.
They attended some speeches, during which the commune and the police came in for sharp criticism. Several people present booed them, before they quietly left the scene.
Reactions to their presence were mixed. "For me, they should not have been there," said Nadia. "Their presence creates an ambiguous feeling. It is good that they show their support, but it would be much better if they banned police vehicles from the park, which is what we are calling for," argued another local resident, Sophie. Police vehicles are already heavily restricted in the park.
Cristina, for her part, appreciated the gesture. "Cristina was very pleased that the burgomasters came," her lawyer, Ludmila Bulgar, told bruzz.be. "At first, just after the incident, they did not come to commemoration events. Now they are clearly showing that they acknowledge that this tragedy occurred and that it has affected them. This is a positive element."
"I still do not understand why"
Cristina briefly spoke to the media, with her lawyer translating from Romanian. "It is very difficult to be here today, because it brings back the memories. But I still come here often," she explained. She thanked all those present for their support, which had been "massive from the beginning".
When asked about her meeting with the officer who hit her son, the mother was unable to continue. She clarified that she was unable to speak freely on this matter, as the meeting had taken place as part of restorative mediation.
In an interview given to Het Nieuwsblad on the occasion of this sad anniversary, Cristina had shared her continuing lack of understanding. "I still do not understand why this officer was pursuing my son at high speed. My son had nothing bad in him that day. What drove this officer to enter the park at high speed? He represented a public danger. Any child could have been a victim that evening."
She had also indicated that she was using her son as an example to argue against violence: "I am convinced that your message is not heard if you use violence. I also feel like the face of Fabian, and my son was never aggressive. If someone did him harm, he was still willing to help that person afterwards. Fabian was not vindictive."
Speeches not organised by the family
The heated speeches and slogans chanted during the commemoration — "Justice for Fabian, we do not forget and we do not forgive" — did not come from the immediate family, Bulgar's lawyer clarified. "The microphone did not come from the family, nor the banner," she explained. "The commemoration was open to all those who wished to express their support, and everyone is free to express themselves as they wish."
The investigation into the exact circumstances of Fabian's death is still ongoing.
Source: Google News BE NL