“Paleizenstraat squat to be cleared today”
The Schaarbeek squat where hundreds of asylum
seekers and homeless people took up residence is being cleared today Wednesday. Zeynep Balci, spokeswoman for Brussels PM
Vervoort, has gone on the record to say that every inhabitant who voluntarily
accompanies officials will be given a heated sleeping place tonight.
Brussels
Chaos continues at asylum seeker squat in Schaarbeek
Update
15:53
library picture
Bart Dewaele
Brussels
Death at Schaarbeek asylum seeker squat
10:48
The operation consists of two parts: first
registered asylum seekers willing to move out will leave. In a second stage people who the authorities
say are not cooperating will be forced to leave.
Spokeswoman Balci blames the chaotic scenes
of yesterday on erroneous information that had been banded about. As a result people not living in the squat
turned up with the aim of getting a reception place. To prevent a repeat of yesterday people are
being accompanied to buses in groups of 25.
They then head for a temporary reception point and the medical
screening.
Meanwhile asylum secretary De Moor has
provided more information about the identity of the person who died in the
building overnight. She has identified
the man was an undocumented Moroccan national, known to the authorities because
he was the subject of an entry ban, the result of drug related offences. She adds he wasn’t a registered asylum seeker,
who qualified for accommodation and that he died of natural causes.
Yesterday’s medical screening of 250 people
revealed 3 people suffering from TB, one suspected and a second confirmed case
of throat diphtheria and seven cases of cutaneous (or skin) diphtheria. 46 cases of scabies were also detected.
