Belgian police intervened in a reported illegal attack on a military outpost near Antwerp. Two hundred of those present were turned away. The site is dangerous because it contains unexploded ordnance.
Ten people refused to leave and were arrested. The illegal party started late at night from Friday to Saturday at the military outpost in the Grote Schetveld Nature Reserve in the municipalities of Brecht and Westwiesel.
Antwerp Governor Cathy Birx announced according to latest news Regional disaster plan. “It’s an active military field, and it’s a dangerous area,” Birx said.
As a result, all access roads were blocked by police officers. Police used drones to monitor the area. “We want to avoid fire at all times, because it is code yellow,” Birx was quoted by the radio as saying. It is said that a huge fire broke out in the area two years ago after the army was maneuvered with flammable bullets.
At 11 am, the party-goers were told to leave the site. The 60 vehicles present have left and the site has been completely cleared.
According to Wuustwezel Mayor Dieter Waters, everything went smoothly. “We chose to negotiate with those present. It all went very positively. We went to talk to people and it turned out they weren’t aware they were on an active shooting range.”
Illegal raves are held very often in Belgium. Earlier this year, thousands of people attended just such a party in Sint-Truiden.
