MR alderman of Courcelles convicted of violence against police officers: PS demands his resignation
Joël Hasselin, MR alderman of Courcelles, has been convicted of assault and striking agents. The PS Federation of Charleroi is demanding his immediate departure.
Charleroi PS calls for alderman Hasselin's head following his conviction
The Charleroi Socialist Party Federation demanded on Sunday the resignation of Joël Hasselin, MR alderman of Courcelles, convicted on Thursday by Charleroi's criminal tribunal for assault and voluntary injury to police officers, according to rtl.be.
"An alderman convicted of striking police officers cannot remain in municipal office for a single day longer," the Socialist Federation stated in a communiqué.
The facts date back to the Souvret carnival in March 2024
The facts for which Hasselin was convicted date back to 13 March 2024, during the final hours of the Souvret carnival in Courcelles. His two sons were also involved: accused like their father of striking police officers, all three men were convicted to community service sentences, convertible into prison sentences in the event of non-compliance.
A dual role that embarrasses the local majority
The situation is all the more delicate given that Joël Hasselin is the partner of Caroline Taquin, MR mayor of Courcelles and Walloon deputy. The PS highlights the contradiction: "The mayor cannot, on one hand, preside over the police authority and, on the other, retain at her side in municipal office her own partner, convicted of injuring her officers."
The MR confronted with its own rhetoric
The Charleroi Socialist Federation also points to the MR's incoherence on the question of violence against law enforcement. "Does this firmness also apply to MR elected officials? Remaining silent on the case of its Courcelles alderman would amount to admitting a selective firmness," it denounced.
According to the Socialists, such a conviction admits no political mitigating circumstances. "An alderman represents his municipality and must respect the law even more so than those he represents. By remaining in office, Joël Hasselin is damaging his position, the image of Courcelles and citizens' confidence in their institutions," concluded the Federation.
Source: Google News BE FR