Gun violence linked to drug trafficking in Saint-Gilles: Brussels residents living in fear
Several shootings broke out in late August in Saint-Gilles, a municipality in the Brussels conurbation, against a backdrop of drug trafficking. Residents and elected officials are calling for reinforcements in police and judicial resources.
Brussels under tension: drug trafficking spreads fear in Saint-Gilles
Several shots rang out in late August in the Brussels conurbation, primarily in the municipality of Saint-Gilles, according to France Info. These shootings, attributed to drug trafficking, resulted in no deaths or serious injuries, but they have deeply shaken the local population.
A stray bullet pierced the apartment of an elderly person living in Saint-Gilles a few days ago. The resident was asleep at the time of the incident. A neighbour, who wished to remain anonymous, describes what he experienced: "I heard four shots. It woke me up. I saw two men on scooters, one of them fell, got back up. I don't know if he was wounded. It's frightening, I don't even dare go out in the evening anymore. Before 10 p.m., I'm at home." This 26-year-old man sums up a feeling shared by many of his neighbours.
A few streets away, a man in his thirties named Marc shows photos on his smartphone of military-grade ammunition cartridges collected outside a pizzeria in the neighbourhood. For him, the nature of the trafficking has changed: "Before, it was small-time neighbourhood dealers. You could go to their place and give them a couple of slaps. Now, it's a big organisation, these are major bosses." He confirms that the violence is "more intense than before".
Some residents now speak of a "wild west", others invoke a "Marseilles syndrome" to describe the escalating armed confrontations in their streets. All express growing concern for their safety and that of their loved ones.
Faced with this situation, the socialist mayor of Saint-Gilles, Jean Spinette, has called for police and judicial reinforcements. "We are facing a phenomenon that is enormous, which merits investigations and having the necessary resources at the computer, technological and accounting levels to dismantle these networks," he declared. Spinette is awaiting a response commensurate with the challenge, not only from the Belgian state, but also from the European Union.
Source: France Info