Belgian Police Officers Suspended for Racist Remarks in Patrol Video

The facts date back to October 2018, and were recorded in two videos, lasting 2 minutes and 6 seconds. They show two policewomen on duty insulting the population of certain neighborhoods like Lemmens by calling the residents "Macaques". "Lemmens, Lemmens. All macaques ooh ooh. Lemmens. We’re not afraid. We don’t give a damn."

Driving in their vehicle, as if it were a guided tour, they then announce: "Clémenceau, we’re going to take a little tour ooh ooh." In a mocking tone tinged with mockery, they launch at the level of the Place du Conseil, not far from the Anderlecht town hall: "Ooh ooh Conseil, Conseil, it’s scary." To the people who are at the level of the square, one of the policewomen says: "Fuck, bunch of big faggots", reports La Dernière Heure.

The racist insults, some of the most humiliating, punctuated the two videos that circulated internally in the Midi zone, until they landed on Commissioner Boucar’s desk. The latter, stunned by the unworthy behavior of the two agents, alerted Chief of Police Evenepoel, who decided to suspend the two policewomen for a month, with a 25 percent pay cut. In addition, the policewoman who was driving was the subject of a procedure before the Council of State. Among the arguments she puts forward to get out of trouble, there is "the attack on her reputation and honor", the loss of salary that would prevent her "from paying her bills". The Council of State brushes aside all her arguments and maintains the suspension as well as the salary deduction.

But unfortunately, a procedural flaw forces the Council of State to overturn its decision. According to the complaints made by the policewoman’s lawyers, the proposed sanction should have been notified to the policewoman before March 24, 2019, but it was done on March 27, three days too late. The policewoman was reinstated as if nothing had happened.