Schendelbeke. During the night of Wednesday 8 to Thursday 9 May, vandals destroyed the exchange library on Schendelbekeplein in Schendelbeke. ‘Vandals took a large stone and threw it into the two bookcases respectively. Then they set fire to some books’, Jan Thienpont – chairman of the Schendelbeke Village Council – explains to us.
Last night the Schendelbeke Village Council had a meeting in the Community Center a little further down the Dagmoedstraat. ‘When the members went home after the meeting, there was nothing wrong with the air,’ says Jan Thienpont. The facts must have occurred this night.
The devastation is great. ‘Both cabinets are good for the container park. Fortunately it didn’t rain that night and we were able to recover the books.’ The Geraardsbergen/Lierde police were on site this morning and drew up a report. The police will start an investigation and will request images from cameras in the area.
Chairman Jan Thienpont is very passionate about it: ‘The exchange library was a great success and was visited very regularly. People could take a book with them, provided they left one on the shelf themselves. There was a bench next to the exchange library so that visitors could choose a book at their leisure.’ The success of the initiative gradually grew and more and more people found their way to Schendelbekeplein.
The members of the Schendelbeke Village Council react indignantly, but have no intention of hanging their heads. They are looking for two refrigerators with a window. ‘We will not be fooled,’ concludes Jan Thienpont.
Anyone who can provide more information can contact the Geraardsbergen/Lierde police.
Julien Borremans
Tags: Vandals destroy exchange library Schendelbekeplein burn books
