Illegal tuning meeting on the Kanaal-Noord industrial estate in Bree: hundreds of German and Dutch cars (Bree)

The first foreign vehicles arrived in a convoy in Bree around 9:30 p.m. They turned off at the industrial estate opposite Greenyard. Police Carma quickly became aware of the illegal tuning meeting and immediately sent teams to Bree to close the access roads to Kanaal-Noord. At that time, an estimated 500 vehicles were already racing on the industrial estate.

Yet the sporty vehicles continued to stream in from all over with their exhausts rumbling and popping. Some came from far away: Metz, Düsseldorf, Koblenz, but also from Heerlen in the Netherlands and from our own province. Because no one was allowed to enter the industrial estate, they lingered in the area. Many parked on the emergency lane to admire the tuned cars passing by. Some Germans standing next to their vehicle said they were there by chance. They claimed they didn’t know what was going on either. Everyone gestured like ace of curves.

Ambiance

Only around midnight, when it became apparent that the police were not taking a tough approach, did the controversy arise. “We drove 200 kilometers, and here it was a letdown because upon arrival, the site was closed,” says a couple from Koblenz. They drive a shiny, sporty Mercedes A-class. “We receive the address via Instagram about an hour before the start of a tuning meeting. We then drive there to look at other cars and talk to each other,” says the German. Another German from Aachen says that it is always a hassle in Belgium because the tuning meetings are not registered and are therefore illegal. “In Germany they are announced and the police let us go if we have gatherings in the parking lot of a gas station, for example.”

Camping chairs

“We mainly come here for the atmosphere,” say members of a group of friends from Heerlen in the Netherlands, mainly teenagers and some in their early twenties. “And of course also to spot some cool cars. But the ambiance is the most important thing. And here you meet people with the same interests from all over the world.” In addition to many Germans, enthusiasts from the Netherlands and France also showed up. “We are informed via our social media channels where such a meeting will take place,” say two young ladies from Metz in Northern France. “If we have the time and inclination, we will make a trip out of it.”

A long line of cars filled with spectators was lined up along the Bruglaan: some groups had even brought camping chairs: they listened to music, laughed and chatted. “It’s a nice atmosphere,” said some young people from the Beringen area.

Mass

The influx of vehicles was unprecedented in Bree. From 9:30 PM to 11 PM, more and more cars arrived, mainly with German and Dutch license plates. The police, who were also present en masse, patrolled the area. Motorcycle police were also deployed to keep an eye on everyone.

Mayor Liesbeth Van der Auwera (CD&V) of Bree was kept informed by telephone: “The situation is under control. The police are present with drones to capture everything and to prevent the illegal event from spreading.” According to the mayor, several vehicles are said to be drifting on the industrial estate. “It is difficult to intervene. The police will ensure that this does not escalate and that the encounter dies down.”

Around 11 p.m. there were so many tuning freaks at the intersection along the busy thoroughfare that the police allowed pedestrians to pass. With loud cheers, the spectators entered the industrial estate to watch the spectacle. The car enthusiasts who were chatting next to their cars in the Bruglaan heard the popping exhaust of the cars that showed off their skills on the industrial estate.

Let it be

It was still very busy around midnight. “The influx has now stopped. We estimate the number of cars between 500 and 1,000. There are currently too many of them on the industrial estate to get the masses moving and sending them home. We have everything checked and we keep an eye on everything,” says Carma police spokeswoman Vicky Flossy.

READ ALSO. Police shut down a large illegal tuning meeting with 2,500 cars in Lommel

Lommel

Just two months ago, on Saturday evening March 2, there was a similar tuning meeting in Lommel. 2,500 vehicles then gathered at the industrial park. There were no incidents at the time, but the asphalt of the industrial estates was damaged.

READ ALSO. 2,500 vehicles gather in Lommel for illegal tuning meeting: “Terrain resembles a race circuit”