Two police officers have been left unable to work after an “out-of-control” incident outside a school in Lokeren last week.
The incident occurred last Friday when two young people arranged a fight at the KTA in Lokerse. The school management contacted the police after it had received notice of the upcoming fight, for which young people would also have come from another school in Ghent.
By the time police arrived, but there was still a large group of young people on the scene, according to reports.
“Our people were called because about sixty young people had gathered,” says police chief Patrick Trienpont. When the officers moved to identify the young people, the situation got out of hand, he added.
The rest of the group started kicking, hitting and spitting at our officers, while at one point a colleague was isolated and was punched by a sixteen-year-old, he added. Two agents were injured, with images shared widely on social media.
Une violente bagarre entre une bande de jeunes et des policiers à Lokeren (VIDEO) https://t.co/HfsfXrGPKu pic.twitter.com/GmnnRvTR0g
— DH.be (@ladh) February 25, 2019
Three young people were arrested, two minors and one adult. They were brought before the investigating judge, before being released under certain conditions.
It is the last time that we will act so softly, said Trienpont, VTM reports. We have a certain reluctance to use legitimate violence such as a dog, pepper spray or baton, although we should have done so, he added.
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