Ghent (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – In Ghent, two adult suspects willingly went to the police because of a fight on New Year’s Eve in which a 27-year-old man was put in an artificial coma.
This happened at around midnight when the man who was the driver because his friends were drunk was involved in a fight after dropping two friends at Zandberg. Although it is still unclear who exactly fought at the gas station, the public prosecutor’s office assumes that seven people were engaged in the fight. Police have apprehended two young men aged 23 and 24, questioning and later releasing them on bond to investigate the incident further.
Two suspects reported to the Ghent police on their initiative after a brawl that happened on the last night of 2015 left a 27-year-old man in an artificial coma.
Seven people were questioned about the case with the help of their statements and watching CCTV records to shed light on the circumstances.
The public prosecutor’s office has stated that the two suspects’ statements are currently being evaluated alongside other evidence gathered during the investigation, including camera footage from the scene.
“They were questioned and then released pending further investigation,”
The officials noted.
The current investigation seeks to establish some of the causes of the upcoming New Year celebrations that have been a worry among the community. People have even spoken out over the violence that accompanied what is generally a joyful event, leading to considerations of ways to safeguard the public during other similar occasions.
The occurrence is not isolated but part of an event that characterised the celebrations of New Year’s Day across the regions of Belgium, as there were reports of violence and disturbances reported in this region. This particular case shows why it is so difficult for law enforcement agencies to maintain order any time there is a massive congregation of people and alcohol has been taken. As the investigations continue, the authorities will step up their patrols in severely affected areas at feast times to prevent such occurrences.
New Year’s Eve violence and public safety concerns
The case of the fight that erupted in Ghent as the New Year was being rung in is not an isolated one, as other incidents have been reported to have occurred in other parts of Belgium as holidaymakers celebrated various holidays. New Year celebrations have been associated with intermittent disturbances in Brussels and Antwerp in the recent past, especially through the use of fireworks and youth confrontations with the police.
Scholars in the field of sociology have observed that such incidents of violence have now been attributed to performances during celebrations, and people are now demanding better policies and consciousness put forward for the solution of substructural problems.
Facing these threats, the local government is seeking numerous measures to improve its capacity to prevent the event of unfortunate incidents during massive functions. This involves police patrol, carrying out interactive sessions among residents throughout the community, and acts of sensitisation on appropriate conduct during festivities. Furthermore, there are talks regarding further increasing the severity of the sanctions for the participants of violent actions to prevent their repeats.
While officials are looking into the new mass fight that happened in Ghent and its consequences, officials are encouraged to work together with the police to ensure better conditions for people who live in the area. The expectation is that through the resolution of these shocks, future New Year celebrations can be observed without precautions against violence and anarchy so that the public can utilise this event to show unity and happiness as opposed to enmity and ruthlessness.
