Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Interior Minister Bernard Quintin urges stricter police measures and OSINT after Brussels’ October 14 protest, involving thousands; MPs Maouane, De Vreese, and Francken react, 5 arrested for violence.
As GVA News reported, Interior Minister Bernard Quintin has asked the police to consider stronger measures for upcoming demonstrations. The call comes after last week’s national day of action in Brussels, which led to serious damage in the city. Protesters caused destruction to several buildings, including the Immigration Office.
Quintin spoke about the events in Parliament on Tuesday, Oct 21, 2025. He said the police must keep public order while respecting the law. He also stressed the need to plan carefully and monitor demonstrations closely to prevent further damage and protect citizens and property.
“Vandalism is a euphemism for this violence. These are not ordinary protesters; these are people committing criminal acts under the extreme left,“
denounced Maaike De Vreese (N-VA).
“This violence is absolutely unacceptable. We must have the courage to discuss the means we use for this and the legal framework required.”
What Steps Are Quintin and the Police Taking After Brussels’ October 14 Protest?
The question of “less-lethal” weapons was also discussed. Defence Minister Theo Francken (N-VA) suggested using tools like the FN303 to control rioters. Quintin said such weapons should only be used in self-defence, when someone’s safety is directly at risk. He added that any stronger police measures must be controlled and proportionate.
“Belgium is not the Wild West,”
Quintin said.
“The aim is to better assess risks, strengthen coordination with organisers and better tailor the deployment of resources to new forms of mobilisation.”
Bernard Quintin
Interior Minister Bernard Quintin said the police and the Crisis Centre are reviewing last week’s demonstrations in Brussels to learn the necessary lessons. He wants authorities to improve how they respond to similar events in the future and prevent damage or disorder. Quintin also plans to set up a legal framework for the use of OSINT, or Open Source Intelligence. This allows police to collect and analyse information from publicly available sources.
“For upcoming demonstrations, I’ve asked the police to consider stricter accompanying measures, while respecting the right to demonstrate. The goal is to better assess the risks, strengthen coordination with organisers, and better tailor the deployment of resources to new forms of mobilisation,”
the minister said.
During the parliamentary session, MP Raja Maouane (Ecolo-Groen) questioned Quintin about the police’s actions, noting that officers did not hesitate to use force during the demonstration. The minister replied that, according to reports from the Brussels police, all actions were carried out under the rules of “negotiated management of public space.” Force is applied only when necessary and always within legal limits.
On October 14, 2025, thousands of people marched through Brussels in a national protest against proposed government cuts to pensions, healthcare, and unemployment benefits. The
Comments
11 responses to “Bernard Quintin Advocates for Tougher Police Measures Following Brussels Protest”
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Seems like Quintin thinks we can just sprinkle a bit more police presence and voilà, the chaos will vanish. Brilliant strategy, mate! 🎩💼
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Seems like Quintin’s got a flair for the dramatic—who knew a protest could be so riveting? Next, he’ll be proposing a police ballet to “dance” with the demonstrators! 🎭💃
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Seems like Quintin thinks we’re living in a cowboy movie, where the police need to wrangle the protesters like some unruly cattle. Can’t wait for the next episode of “Brussels: The Wild West!” 🤠💼
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Looks like Minister Quintin is ready to turn Brussels into a police state just to keep the peace—because nothing says “freedom of expression” like stronger police measures, right? 🤦♂️
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Stricter police measures, eh? Guess we’ll need a new Olympic sport for crowd control at this rate! 🎭 Hope they’ve got their safety gear and a good supply of “please don’t break my windows” signs ready!
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Seems like the only thing tougher than the protests in Brussels is Quintin’s insistence on ‘negotiated management’—just what we need, eh? 🤷♂️ Good luck with that, mate!
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Just what we need, more police measures to turn our lovely Brussels into a scene from a B-grade western! 🤠 But hey, at least we can still practice our right to protest… right after we navigate the new obstacle course of the law! 🥳
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Seems like Quintin thinks we’re living in a real-life action movie—who knew Brussels was the new Wild West? Next up, we’ll be handing out capes instead of police badges! 😂
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Looks like Minister Quintin’s ready to turn Brussels into a real-life game of “Cops and Robbers,” eh? I mean, who needs a peaceful protest when you’ve got a front-row seat to the next action blockbuster, right? 😂
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Seems like Bernard’s got a real handle on the situation, eh? Maybe next time he can just ask the protesters to politely sit down with tea and biscuits instead of causing a ruckus! 🍵😏
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Looks like Quintin’s preparing for a showdown worthy of a spaghetti western, but in Brussels, we prefer our conflicts with a side of frites and maybe a good beer. 🍻 Let’s just hope the only thing that gets shot is the budget!
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Sure, because nothing says “let’s discuss our grievances” quite like a bit of vandalism, right? Bravo, Quintin, let’s just turn Brussels into a real-life episode of “Cops” while we’re at it! 😂🏙️
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