Unprecedented security measures during Aalst Carnival

The city of Aalst will step up security during the Carnival period to the highest ever level due to fears of a terrorist attack. The celebrations will be monitored by 350 police officers – 20% more than last year – along with 80 security cameras.

“We have obviously increased security measures to protect the public, but it won’t change the atmosphere of the event,” mayor Christoph D’Haese (pictured) insisted in Het Nieuwsblad.

Celebrations have already started, but the big three days of revelry kick off next Sunday. Aalst is home to Belgium’s biggest carnival celebration and is particularly noted for its floats that mercilessly poke fun at politicians and current events. The mayor has said that the floats will still be allowed to cover any theme, even if they touch on sensitive subjects like the Charlie Hebdo shooting in Paris or Islamic State.

But D’Haese has asked them to keep the themes secret until the day, to avoid drawing attention to them. “If the media finds out beforehand that a float is touching on a delicate subject, then it could become a target instead of an attraction.”

But he insisted that no one should be afraid to come to Aalst. “Aalst Carnival is going to be one big and safe party.”

In related news, Vilvoorde mayor, Hans Bonte, has called on the Flemish and federal governments to provide him with extra funding to combat radical ideology spreading in his municipality. The former car-manufacturing town outside Brussels has produced a disproportionate number of militant young men who have gone to fight in Syria.

Bonte puts it down to a large immigrant population coupled with high levels of youth unemployment and says he needs €2.3 million to recruit more police officers, run de-radicalisation programmes and create new jobs. 

Photo courtesy VTM Nieuws