Charleroi, Belgium - Days of riots, stones and fire after death during arrest

suie e cendres

05/04/2011 - GILLY - Last week, on Friday, Sandro (27 years old), died after having been beating during an arrest. An autopsy said he died of a heart attack and discovered traces of cocaine in his blood (which the media are using to present him as a "drug addict" or even a "dealer"). Photos came out of his body, which was covered with hits and injuries. Also people of the neigbourhood who assisted during the arrest (which took place in the middle of the street, cops thinking he stole a Coca cola in a shop), denounced the very violent behaviour of the cops. Almost all of the small city of Gilly, just next to Charleroi, blame the police.
Tension started to rise very fast in the city and in Charleroi.
Seven days later, on Friday 1 April, the media speak for the first time about the rage exploding. The local police station is attacked in the early evening with molotov cocktails, although not the whole station was burned down. Earlier that day, masked youngsters threw stones to passing cop cars and attacked several private cars of cops, stationed in front of police stations or their homes.
Saturday 2 April during the night, tens of masked youngsters fought for several hours with the police, who sent several battallions of the Federal Police down to Gilly and used a water cannon. Clashes also erupted in the other neighbourhood next to Gilly, Lodinsart. They started of with attacking the two cops stations with stones and metal bars. When police reinforcements arrived, the rioters started to pick their fights, throwing stones to the cops and than disappearing. Several cops got injured, some cars were put on fire on parking lots of supermarkets and quite some damages to shop windows etc. Some rioters got arrested, and police claims some of them came specially from Brussels to cause trouble and incite the local youth. Everybody was released next day.
Sunday 3 April during the night, fire was put to garbage bins all over Gilly and one car was burned on the parking lot of the supermarket. Several shops and official buildings (like the socialist syndicate) were attacked with stones and other objects. Police claims they moved again around in small groups, which made it difficult to catch any of them. Some youngsters were arrested but released a few hours later.
Monday 4 April during the night, starting from 23h to 4h, cars were put on fire all over Gilly and Lodinsart. Some torches of anger were also noted in the city of Charleroi. In Gilly, police speaks about 7 cars and a bulldozer which have been torched. No arrests were made.
More to come.