arch/ive/ief (2000 - 2005)

EU-Summit-Repression takes Promising Start : 50 arrested judicially !
by generaal custer 11:36am Wed Dec 12 '01

All activists, without any exception, who on Wednesday=morning occupied the CEFIC-Headquarters in Brusselshave been arrested judicially. The lawyers of Legal Team couldn't believe this news but the Attorney was formal : all are arrested judicially (and not administratively) This promises serious repression during these next days !

On Wednesday-morning some 50 activists appeared at the CEFIC-Headquarters in Brussels to protest against the farreaching influences of CEFIC on European Commission-decisions. CEFIC is the European Federation of Chemical Industries.

A group of activists blocked the officesq frominside, whereas a few dozens of sympathiserd stayed outside with a samba-band.

Federal Police (Gendarmery) intervened and arrested the people inside already around 9:00 AM. At Noon the occupation was finished. And then the Hard To Believe News came that all the activists had been arrested Judicially. Confirmation came from a lawyer of the Legal Team. Judicial Arrest means that the arrested have been put at the disposal of the Judicial System where an Attorney has been put "on the case". The arrested have to appera now before a judge within 24 hours. The judge then decides whether to liberate the arrested or keep them in custody and send them eventually to a Rapid-Procedure-Court. This court should prononce a ruling within 5 days.

Among those arrested there are also foreigners. Federal Police said that the Attorney has already contacted the
Foreigners Service to see how these people can be expulsed from Belgian territory.

The activists came to the CEFIC-offices with a bus. This bus has been thouroughly searched by the police and is in their
hands now. A rumour goes that the arrested will be charged for "taking hostages" (gijzeling). But Legal Team could not
confirm this.

Legal Team firmly believes that this group-arrest means serious trouble with repression for all those who are going to protest against the EU-Laken-Summit these next days. The lawyers are only permitted to see the arrrested if these are going to Rapid-Procedure. Now every contact is impossible.

The non-arrested activists gathered at the occupied Bruxxel-Gare which lies next to the European Parliament. Legal Team was there too. They were going to see if action should be taken in favour of the arrested.

all belgian protesters have been released, some foreign people have been deported to Sweden, and some have already returned after having been sent back to Holland. None as far as I know, have been arrested judicially and are still under arrest.