Bus inspector strangled in Antwerp: four arrests following violent assault
Four men assaulted and strangled a De Lijn inspector on Saturday evening at Berchem station in Antwerp. The victim was hospitalised; the union describes it as an attempted murder.
Inspector strangled in the tunnel of line 90 in Antwerp
On Saturday evening, a De Lijn inspector was thrown to the ground and strangled during a routine check at Berchem station, in the tunnel of line 90 in Antwerp. Four men were arrested, according to rtl.be based on information from Het Laatste Nieuws.
De Lijn employees had established that three of the four passengers did not have valid travel documentation. "The inspectors asked them for their travel documents and identity cards," said Kim Bastiaens from Antwerp police station. The situation quickly escalated: two of the men, who had already been identified, began to strike one of the inspectors. The third man then joined in the assault.
The injured inspector was transported to Middelheim hospital. Doctors identified bruises on his neck, confirming that he had been strangled. Rudy Mous, union representative for Synova, describes the facts as an "attempted murder". The inspector is expected to be incapacitated from work for at least one week.
Union calls for body cameras
Mous denounces another violent assault against workers in the line of duty. "It is appalling that people are assaulted so violently while working," he states. He also points to the persistent absence of body cameras for De Lijn inspectors. "They were promised to us, but we still haven't received them". He also considers it abnormal that teams of only two inspectors are still deployed in the field.
De Lijn condemns the assault
De Lijn spokesperson Astrid Hulhoven responded to the incident. "It was a simple check and nothing justified such aggressive behaviour from these passengers," she said. "We naturally condemn this type of violence in the strongest terms. It demonstrates a complete lack of respect towards our staff".
The four men were taken to Antwerp central police station following their arrest.
Source: Google News BE FR