Tervuren (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Abatesi, a senior care worker in Tervuren, reports racism, including vandalism and abuse. She supports “Hand in Hand Against Racism.” Mayor Geyns doubts the need; Councillor Lombaert supports a local reporting centre.
Joan Abatesi, a senior care worker living in Belgium, says she and others face racism in Tervuren. She has experienced racist incidents, including her car being scratched and faeces left at her door. Joan says children of colour are maltreated at school.
They are called names, tied up, and even abandoned by other kids. She mentioned that these are not just pranks, but hurtful events. Some people are also denied entry to cafes because of their skin colour. Officials noted that these acts show that racism is a problem in Tervuren.
What kind of racist incidents have been reported in Tervuren?
Joan wants to stop racism in Tervuren. She supports a new group called “Hand in Hand Against Racism”. This group wants a place where people can report racist things that happen to them. This place would help people who were hurt by racism.
Joan thinks this is important to make Tervuren a better place for everyone. She hopes the city council will listen and help. The group has already asked the council to do this and is waiting for an answer. Joan wants everyone to be treated fairly and feel safe in Tervuren.
People in Tervuren are talking about racism and how to report it. Councillor Sofie Lombaert wants a special place where people can report racist things that happen to them. She says racism makes people feel bad and unwanted, even in their town. She says some people are told to go back to their own country, even though they live in Tervuren. Lombaert wants a place where people can talk about racism without being afraid or ashamed. She says people who experience racism should be heard and taken seriously.
The mayor of Tervuren, Thomas Geyns, is not against having a place to report racist incidents. But he’s not sure if it’s a good idea to have one in every town in Belgium. He thinks it might be better to have people report racism to organisations that already handle these issues.
He also wonders if there’s a big problem with racism in Tervuren. He says the police have only recorded one or two racist incidents in recent years. But people on social media say there are more incidents.
The mayor says these claims haven’t been proven. People who want a local reporting centre say it’s important because it will make it easier for people to report racism. They say this will help make sure racism doesn’t go unnoticed.
“Official figures show that there are hardly any complaints or reports of hate and racism incidents in Tervuren,”
Geyns said.
