Critics blast Landen mayor over gypsy expulsions

The authors’ and composers’ rights society Sabam is to send a bill to the mayor of Landen in Flemish Brabant, who came under fire this week for using a barrage of loud music to chase a group of travellers from land in the municipality. Socialist mayor Gino Debroux said later he “understood the outrage and would not do the same again”.

Debroux’s bringing in a DJ to broadcast loud music to get rid of the travellers was compared to Guantanamo Bay, where loud music was used to quell protests. On social media, the action was compared to the device used to deter mosquitoes.

The travellers had parked their caravans on an industrial estate without permission and were in the middle of talks with police when the mayor took over. While the stunt made the wires of the Associated Press and the columns of the world’s press, it failed to have the effect desired. Children came out of the caravans to dance and one even approached DJ Jos Thijs to play a request, but the camp stayed put.

Debroux’s fellow socialists were among his sternest critics. “Not okay what’s happening in Landen,” tweeted former Flemish minister Freya Van den Bossche. “Really not okay.” Party chairman Bruno Tobback issued a statement saying, “This situation should not have been allowed to escalate so far, that much is clear. We regret that hard words and actions have resulted. This is not the way we would approach the problem.”

In the meantime, police reached an agreement with the travellers. They were allowed to remain on their temporary site for the rest of the day, and were due to leave this morning for a new site in Lommel in Limburg.

Photo: Het Nieuwsblad