The officers are not respecting social distancing measures. A lawyer who shared the photo emphasised the contrast between a party with colleagues and major police interventions during illegal parties.
While some people believed it was fake news, the relevant police station confirmed the picture’s authenticity.
In a statement, the interim head of the Brussels-West zone Johan Berckmans confirmed the validity of the shot. A detail in the photo tends to prove that it was taken recently and that the police therefore did not respect the health rules in force (one of the agents wore a mouth mask on his forearm).
An internal investigation was opened and the police officers concerned will be fined, he assured.
“Our area has over 900 staff members and so it is unfortunate that the dissemination of an image has an impact on others (...) The staff continue to enjoy my unconditional support and trust,” explained Berckmans.
