In Denderleeuw, East Flanders, a gathering ban will be in effect for a month in and around Kasteeltuin, located on Stationstraat. This means that groups of no more than three people are
allowed to congregate. The ban comes at the request of the mayor, following a series of incidents over the past months. The police will monitor compliance with the ban, and those who violate it could face a fine.
Mayor Jo Fonck (LvB) stated that large groups often gather near Denderleeuw's train station with malicious intentions. He said, "Over the past two months, we have frequently encountered various forms of disturbances such as fights and vandalism in the vicinity of Castle Garden. Traces of drugs are also often found." He added, "These groups tend to gather discreetly in the castle's garden, which creates issues. I am frequently contacted by people whose gardens border the castle garden. They report things that are not okay. Hence, this rather stringent measure."
Due to the gathering ban, which is currently set for one month, groups of four people or more are prohibited from hanging around in and around the castle's garden. Specifically, the ban applies to the interior area behind the Castle, Paardekastanje, Parklaan, Rozenlaan, and De Nayerstraat. The ban does not apply during events approved by the municipality or civil wedding ceremonies in the castle's garden.
The enforcement of the gathering ban will be monitored closely: "There are already regular patrols in the area, but there will be more now. Within a month, we will evaluate to see if any changes are necessary. If it turns out that additional measures are needed within the month, we will implement them. The same goes if we find that measures can be eased." Those who do not adhere to the gathering ban risk facing a fine. "Or another measure, we will assess each case individually," said Mayor Fonck.
Identity Checks The issues in the vicinity of the station and Castle Garden are not new, and the municipality has previously taken steps to limit the disturbances. For instance, benches in the garden were removed, hearings were held with the parents of those involved, place bans were issued, and identity checks were carried out. "It was revealed that many of the individuals involved do not live in our municipality but still meet in the vicinity of Denderleeuw's train station. As the mayor and the municipality, we want to send a strong - albeit strict - signal with the gathering ban that we are not pleased with this situation," Fonck explained.
Federal Assistance Requested Meanwhile, Denderleeuw is awaiting a response from the Minister of the Interior to address the issue of disturbances in the station area. "I wrote to the minister about three weeks ago to raise the issue. We are faced with suburban problems, but we are just a municipality. That's why we seek federal support."
As of now, the mayor has not received a response, but he remains hopeful: "We are eagerly awaiting a response, although it's currently the holiday period." Photo by Wester, Wikimedia commons.