Images circulating on social media appear to show a shocking incident from May 10th, where an elderly, white-haired man is dragged from a bench to the ground by two men.
The attack occurred around 2 p.m. on Rue Terre-Neuve, right next to a children’s playground and at the foot of a social housing building in the Marolles district of Brussels.
According to reports, the man was strangled and robbed in broad daylight while baffled neighbors watched from nearby apartment balconies.
Footage filmed from the surrounding buildings appears to show the victim collapsing face-first onto the ground after being strangled. One suspect allegedly filmed the victim while the second searched through his pockets. Witnesses told local media that the ordeal lasted about 10 minutes.
Although several residents contacted emergency services and the Brussels-Capital/Ixelles Police Zone, the victim had reportedly already left the scene by the time officers and firefighters arrived.
Police confirmed to Belgian media that they intervened following the reports, but neither the victim nor the suspects were found at the location.
Tom Van Grieken, leader of the Vlaams Belang party, issued a scathing condemnation of the attack on X, demanding immediate and severe action. In his post Van Grieken wrote
On Sunday, an elderly man was brutally mugged in the Marolles district of Brussels. Two men of foreign origin dragged him from a bank, and while he lay on the ground, they stole his wallet, among other things. With Vlaams Belang, we are crystal clear: track down this scum and remove them from our society. It is high time to make our country safe again!
