Menen (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – An illegal party with 350-500 people occurred in an old warehouse near Menen. Police, led by Chief Didier Vandecasteele, negotiated its end on February 23, 2025, at 6:30 a.m., ensuring safety and order.
An illegal party took place in an old warehouse near Menen. It started around midnight and had between 350 and 500 people. The police learnt about the party at 1:30 a.m. They began to watch the crowd.
Officials mentioned that with so many people there, the police had to be careful. They said that if they acted too fast, it could have caused panic or accidents. So, they decided to take their time and assess the situation before making a move.
The police worked to handle the situation safely by talking to the people running the illegal party. They agreed that the party would end at 6:30 a.m. Police chief Didier Vandecasteele noticed that the organizers were following through with this promise. He mentioned that by allowing the party to finish calmly instead of shutting it down suddenly, they avoided fights and kept order.
We negotiated with the people who are supposedly the organizers that they would stop around 6:30, and I have the impression that they are keeping their word,
responded police chief Didier Vandecasteele.
Was the illegal party in the Menen warehouse a security concern?
According to Police Chief Didier Vandecasteele, the rave was mostly calm. Loud music was playing inside the warehouse, but there were not many problems outside. He pointed out that the gathering was illegal because it was not approved.
He mentioned that there were no safety measures for the people attending. The old warehouse was unsafe and could lead to accidents like a collapse or a fire. Authorities were still worried about safety, even though things had not turned chaotic.
Vandecasteele said,
The party is not requested, it is in a building that is not secured, and the buildings are not theirs either. So it is not a safe situation.
As the party was ending around 6:30 a.m., police watched closely. Officers were near the warehouse to help the crowd leave safely. They also planned to check for alcohol and drugs as people left.
Officials mentioned that some attendees might have been impaired from substances. The police wanted to stop anyone drunk or high from causing problems. Their goal was to keep things safe after the event.
