Ghent (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Herman Brusselmans stands trial at Ghent’s courts because his article in Humo journal is accused of encouraging hatred toward Jews through violent words about Jewish people.
When writer Herman Brusselmans published an anti-Semitic column in Humo, the authorities in Ghent put him on trial for his highly controversial writing. In court, Brusselmans stated,
“I want to say to the people here: I am not an anti-Semite.”
The Jewish Information and Documentation Centre started legal proceedings by charging Herman Brusselmans with instigating Jewish hatred and violent discrimination through his written work. The column in question was described as a “volcano spewing lava of anti-Semitism” by JID’s lawyer, David Braun. Brusselmans succeeded in getting the public prosecutor to suggest an acquittal because his writings did not violate Belgium’s laws regarding negationism or anti-racism. The verdict is scheduled for March 11.
Massive media coverage surrounds this trial because of the provocative content written by Brusselmans. Using defiance born from his rage, the writer pictured a Palestinian youngster weeping and then revealed his thoughts about wanting to hurt Jewish people. This imagery has been criticised as inciting violence, with Rabbi Menachem Margolin of the European Jewish Association (EJA) calling it “psychopathic” and an invitation for others to act violently. Brusselmans maintained that his words were meant to function as metaphors as well as acts to stimulate thoughtful consideration. The defence argued before the court that satire, together with free speech, constituted fundamental pillars of his literary approach.
The JID does not only want Brusselmans convicted for the column in question from last summer but also for other works in which “a pattern of anti-Semitism” can be found. The JID called this summer’s column “just the icing on the cake”.
According to the organisation’s lawyer, the column was followed by a flood of messages that clearly show that the author incited hatred and violence.
“Jews were attacked on the street; their hats were knocked off while riding a bike,”
Says Braun.
“He imported a foreign conflict here.”
The Jewish organisation is asking for damages of 7,910 euros, 1 cent per reader of the weekly magazine Humo. According to Braun, that amount is mainly symbolic:
“The real damage for the people of the Jewish community is much greater.”
“We defend Herman Brusselmans, but by extension, freedom of speech,”
Says Omar Souidi, Brusselmans’ lawyer. According to Souidi, Brusselmans wants his columns to encourage reflection in a sharp way.
“Everything is open for discussion, immersed in a bath of irony and satire.”
Brusselmans’ lawyers are requesting their client’s acquittal.
“The opposing party’s goal has already been achieved because Herman Brusselmans’ family is suffering from intimidation,”
Said Omar Souidi.
Finally, Herman Brusselmans himself also has his say.
“I have been writing all kinds of pieces for 40 years, and I have a certain style. My boundaries are further than those of others in naming everything that is wrong in society, show business, traffic or politics. Nothing is strange to me,”
Says Brusselmans.
Brusselmans also says that he was intimidated after the column.
“It’s a witch hunt. I have become the spearhead of racism and anti-Semitism, but I am not a racist. I am a man with feelings and a father who saw images of children in Gaza.”
How does this case reflect broader trends?
The court trial takes place during a time when European anti-Semitic sentiments are increasing because tensions from Israeli-Palestinian conflicts have led to a major hike in Belgian anti-Semitic incidents. The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights recorded a remarkable fourfold growth of anti-Semitic incidents throughout Europe starting from October of last year.
Belgian Jewish communities have shown rising worry about their security and intensifying hostility in their community. Antwerp, home to Belgium’s largest Jewish population of approximately 29,000 people, recently witnessed chilling calls for a “Jew Hunt” on social media.
The public dispute over Brusselman’s column continues to reflect the deep Belgian debate between freedom of speech and the definition of hate speech.
Religious leaders, together with Jewish organisations, have denounced Brusselmans and Humo due to their use of violence normalisation as a presumably satirical tactic. Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt likened the situation to “a modern-day Dreyfus trial,” emphasising its significance for Jewish safety in Europe. The editorial staff at Humo supported Brusselmans’ article without censorship until anti-Semitic backlash forced them to eliminate their original publication.
The absence of national anti-Semitism strategies from Belgium contributes to additional challenges in the situation. No comprehensive strategic plan has emerged since 2021, although the European Commission has been making such demands since that time.
Research findings show that half of the Belgian Jewish population has seriously contemplated relocating because of increasing hostility within their country—an obvious demonstration that Europe demands swift measures to combat hate crimes.
