The police forces were deployed en masse on Sunday evening to the Lindeman district in Heusden-Zolder, where riots had broken out. Several police teams from the province of Limburg descended on the area around Kolderstraat, where people had clashed. Dozens of people had taken to the street, where a confrontation broke out. The exact reason for the clashes was a confrontation between groups of individuals of Kurdish and Turkish descent.
Mireille Maes/Zahra Boufker/Roel Damiaans
Today at 9:30 PM
According to the mayor of Houthalen-Helchteren, Alain Yzermans (Vooruit), a confrontation between groups of individuals of Kurdish and Turkish origin escalated on Sunday afternoon. “The reason for this confrontation was a convoy of Kurds from Leuven that headed towards Houthalen and Heusden, displaying symbols that provoked discussions with individuals of Turkish origin. This resulted in the physical assault of a Turkish man. The incident caused several confrontations, which spread across the Houthalen and Heusden-Zolder region,” said Yzermans.
Both the local and federal police are intensively involved in controlling the situation and are taking all possible measures to restore peace and safety. A police helicopter circled overhead to monitor the situation. The police themselves spoke of a large-scale police intervention and appealed to maintain calm and follow the guidelines on site.
In addition to the Kolderstraat in the Lindeman district in Heusden-Zolder, there was unrest in the Lillo district on the territory of Houthalen-Helchteren. As a result, the police of the Carma zone (Genk, As, Oudsbergen, Zutendaal, Houthalen-Helchteren, Bree, Bocholt, Kinrooi) were also involved in law enforcement. The federal police used water cannon to drive away troublemakers.
The touring car caravan with Kurdish flags caused other residents to take to the streets en masse to express their displeasure, but the situation quickly escalated. Several people got into a fight. Images of the violence circulated on social media. The people with Kurdish flags withdrew to a building on Kolderstraat, around which the crowd gathered. Police officers then tried to shield the house, but violence flared up again. Some cars, among other things, were damaged. The emergency services were called to provide the necessary care to any injured people. Police officers with helmets and shields are on the scene en masse.
Tags: Confrontation Kurds Turks Limburg escalates crowds rioters street large police force site HeusdenZolder
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