Aalst (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Aalst mayor Christoph D’Haese reimposed a ban on gatherings at Stationsplein until October 31, 2025, with systematic identity checks and plans for a permanent police post after repeated unrest.
As VRT News reported, the city of Aalst has reintroduced a ban on gatherings at the station square. The measure follows new concerns about possible unrest in the area. Mayor Christoph D’Haese confirmed that police checks on social media showed calls from several young people of immigrant origin to gather at the Stationsplein and provoke violence. In response, the mayor signed an urgent order. The ban will run until October 31, 2025. Police will also carry out systematic identity checks to prevent incidents.
What measures is Aalst taking to prevent unrest at Stationsplein?
The mayor stated that public safety is the top priority.
“Young people from other cities and municipalities come to Aalst with bad intentions,”
said Christoph D’Haese, mayor (N-VA) of Aalst
Police in Aalst are once again permitted to conduct systematic identity checks in the station district. Mayor Christoph D’Haese stressed that close contact with the public prosecutor’s office and with mayors from other municipalities is necessary. According to him, people who disturb public order must be stopped and kept out.
Plans are also in progress to install a permanent police post at the square. Aalst has used a ban on gatherings at the station square before, with the last ban lifted at the end of last year. City officials say the steps are needed to maintain calm, prevent disorder, and safeguard one of Aalst’s busiest public areas.
The Stationsplein in Aalst has been the focus of repeated security measures during the past year. A ban on gatherings was already introduced in 2023 after several incidents and was lifted only at the end of last year. On September 5, 2025, the city also imposed an alcohol ban in the station district due to separate issues related to public nuisance.
