N-VA demands urgent Brussels Parliament meeting after renewed shootings
The opposition N-VA demanded an urgent meeting of the Brussels Parliament’s Internal Affairs Committee on Tuesday after several days of gunfire across the capital, including an attack on an Anderlecht police station.
In 30 seconds
- N-VA requested an urgent meeting of the Brussels Parliament’s Internal Affairs Committee on 25 August.
- Gunfire near Place des Deux Bancs on Monday evening caused no injuries; the shooter escaped.
- Separate shootings in Saint-Gilles and Molenbeek around Sunday night and Monday morning injured two people.
- Shots struck an Anderlecht police station late Friday, without injuring anyone.
Updated 25 August 2026, 14:15 CEST — . The opposition demanded an urgent meeting of the Brussels Parliament’s Internal Affairs Committee on Tuesday, 25 August, after several days of shootings in , and . BX1 and Belga identified Brussels MP Mathias Vanden Borre as the author of the request; the Parliament had not confirmed by the time of publication whether it would convene the committee.
Vanden Borre accused the Brussels authorities of responding inadequately and directed much of his criticism at the PS, which leads several affected municipalities. BX1 reported that Vlaams Belang supported the demand. The intervention intensified a dispute over which level of government bears responsibility for policing, prosecution and the wider fight against organised drug networks.
The immediate security picture remained unsettled. The Brussels Times, citing Belga and Saint-Gilles mayor Jean Spinette, reported that a gunman fired an automatic weapon near Place des Deux Bancs at about 21:00 on Monday. Nobody was injured, but customers in a nearby pizzeria took cover and the shooter escaped. BX1 reported on Tuesday that 18 bullet impacts had been counted at the scene.
The Brussels-South police zone previously confirmed to BRUZZ that another shooting in Saint-Gilles early on Monday left one person injured and led to two arrests. Brussels-West police separately confirmed to BRUZZ that a man was shot in the lower leg near Avenue Jean Dubrucq in Molenbeek around midnight; his life was not in danger and no suspect had been arrested when that report was published.
The violence followed shots fired at a police station on Rue Démosthène in Anderlecht late Friday. The Brussels prosecutor’s office told Belga that nobody was injured and that investigators were seeking the perpetrators. The office has not publicly established that all the recent incidents are connected.
Federal Interior Minister Bernard Quintin met the mayors of Anderlecht, Forest and Saint-Gilles on Tuesday. BX1 reported that the mayors requested a federal action plan, while Quintin said authorities would assess existing measures and determine what reinforcements were required. Saint-Gilles mayor Jean Spinette said no new resources had yet been promised.
Where this is happening
View on map Brussels-Capital Region →The political divide crosses institutional lines. The Brussels PS has demanded more federal resources, while N-VA says PS-led regional and municipal authorities must answer for local public safety. The next verified milestones are a decision on the requested committee meeting and a Brussels prosecutor’s briefing scheduled for Friday, when officials are expected to detail the investigations, their response and immediate operational needs.
What to do
People living or working in Anderlecht, Saint-Gilles and Molenbeek-Saint-Jean should follow instructions from local police and avoid active incident areas or police cordons. Anyone with information or relevant footage should contact the police rather than sharing unverified identifications online. The main date to watch is Friday, when the Brussels prosecutor’s office plans to brief the press and may clarify the investigations. Residents should also watch whether the Brussels Parliament convenes the requested urgent committee meeting; no meeting date or new public-safety measure has yet been confirmed.
Impact
Regional — Residents and businesses in Anderlecht, Saint-Gilles and Molenbeek-Saint-Jean face the most immediate disruption and safety concerns. The controversy also affects region-wide decisions on policing, prevention and coordination among Brussels’ municipalities and police zones.
EvidenceWell established · 1 primary source + 1 official document + 3 independent reporting sourcesExplore evidence →Hide evidence ↑
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Voices & reactions
What the main actors are doing
Reported positions, summarised — not direct quotationsN-VA and Vlaams Belang
N-VA’s Mathias Vanden Borre says the regional political response is inadequate and wants the Brussels government questioned urgently. He places particular responsibility on PS-led municipalities; BX1 reported that Vlaams Belang supported the demand.
PS municipal and regional representatives
PS representatives say federal authorities must strengthen police, prosecution and other parts of the security chain. Saint-Gilles mayor Jean Spinette rejects accusations of local passivity and says the violence is being used for partisan political attacks.
Federal Interior Minister Bernard Quintin
Quintin says the federal government has already supplied reinforcements and security funding while accepting that further needs must be assessed. He argues that every level of authority must take responsibility and says additional actions will follow.
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