Minister Van Tigchelt plays football against inmates of the prison he is closing: “Even with Bart Goor in our team, we have no chance” (Lille)

“Stikkapot,” gasps Minister of Justice Paul Van Tigchelt, dressed in a blue football shirt with a portrait drawing of himself and the name Team Paul on the back, in a shape that is strongly reminiscent of the logo of his party Open VLD. He has just spent a good 20 minutes on defense against the Gelmelboys, the regular football team of inmates and staff members of the open penal institution in Hoogstraten.

The fact that the minister is going through it is not because he feels hunted. Just before this half, he had already finished a match with his Team Paul against a team from the Public Prosecutor’s Office. Welcome to the Lille Cup, which takes place on Wednesday evening on the grounds of KVC Lille United.

READ ALSO. No walls and a football team: what makes Hoogstraten prison so special

Because the Public Prosecutor’s Office cabinetards has firmly managed, the latter will be in the small final against the detainees of Hoogstraten. “Symbolic?” Paul Van Tigchelt repeats the question. “Well, in light of recent events, of course, but this small tournament for the benefit of Lille United’s youth work has of course been planned since January. That was long before the decision was made about closing the prison in Hoogstraten.”

Tease bumps

That decision came as a bolt from the blue in Hoogstraten last week. The reasoning is that a renovation of the historic castle site in Hoogstraten would cost tens of millions of euros more than building a new prison. That is why the government decided to close Hoogstraten as soon as the new prison in Antwerp is completed. Although that scenario will only happen in a few years, the news provoked a lot of protest last week, including from the trade unions. Such actions will not take place on Wednesday evening. It remains only friendly pinpricks and teasing from the supporters of the Gelmelboys to the minister.

Those Gelmelboys also doggedly throw themselves into battle. The team competes weekly in the Kempisch Verbond Der Vriendenclubs (KVDV), a competition for café teams. But although many detainees in the open penitentiary school center of Hoogstraten are allowed to leave the prison to take classes or go to work, the Gelmelboys in principle always play at home, within the prison domain. This is a big exception.

No reduction in sentence

“It’s fun to play a football tournament outside the walls on a Wednesday evening, it’s something different,” say the detainees. “We train twice a week, but with an ever-changing team it is difficult to really build up anything. Players who are allowed to leave prison will of course no longer come to play on Saturdays. Yes, we throw ourselves into the game, but we are not really interested in winning. Just with friends shotten, that’s what it’s about. It’s not like we get a reduced penalty if we win or anything.”

READ ALSO.Hoogstraten prison will close when the new one opens in Antwerp, Begijnenstraat prison will not close completely

Minister Van Tigchelt says that for him the match against the Public Prosecution Service has much more meaning. “We wanted to take revenge because the Parquet defeated us last time, but they are even better today than they were then. Even with Bart Goor in our team we have no chance today, but it is not a shame. I used to play football for the Public Prosecution Service team, later I played with the OCAD (coordination body for threat analysis, ed.) against the Public Prosecution Service. A pleasant tradition. First shotten and then grab a pint.”