Belgian mounted police TRAMPLE revellers with their horses and use water cannons in violent clashes as they try to clear thousands lured to ‘festival’ in park by April Fools’ prank
- Belgians rushed to park in Brussels to attend the fake ‘La Boum’ music festival
- Huge crowds launched into a party on the grass, with speakers blasting music
- When they refused to disperse, police on horseback charged into crowds
- Other officers fired water cannons and used tear gas against rowdy revellers
Belgian police officers trampled park-goers under horses’ hooves after revellers refused to leave a prank festival for April Fools Day.
More than 2,000 Belgians rushed to Bois de la Cambre park in Brussels to attend the fake ‘La Boum’ festival which was announced on Facebook as a joke.
It promised ‘eight stages, a hundred DJs and zero coronavirus rules’.
Huge crowds – unperturbed by revelation that the festival was a hoax – launched into a party on the grass, with speakers blasting music and revellers dancing and singing along.
When they refused to disperse, police on horseback charged into crowds while other officers fired water cannons and used tear gas against rowdy revellers.
Four people were arrested and three police officers were injured in the clashes, the force confirmed.
Belgian police officers trampled park-goers under horses’ hooves after revellers refused to leave a prank festival for April Fools Day
More than 2,000 Belgians (pictured being dispersed) rushed to Bois de la Cambre park in Brussels to attend the fake ‘La Boum’ festival which was announced on Facebook as a joke
Huge crowds – unperturbed by revelation that the festival was a hoax – launched into a party on the grass, with speakers blasting music and revellers dancing and singing along. Pictured: Police spraying water cannons at revellers
When they refused to disperse, police on horseback charged into crowds while other officers fired water cannons (pictured) and used tear gas against rowdy revellers
Last month, Belgium authorities announced a raft of stricter measures to combat a third wave of Covid-19 sweeping through Europe.
The country has a 10pm curfew in place across most of the country and all bars, cafés and restaurants are closed.
All of Belgium’s schools are shut. Non-essential shops are open but they can only be visited with a pre-booked appointment.
As of March 24, all outdoor gatherings are limited to just four people.
Organisers of the La Boum festival told party-goers that the event was fake several times leading up to April 1. Pictured: Police clearing revellers from the park
Earlier this week, mayor of the City of Brussels Philippe Close insisted the event was ‘unauthorised and fake’ – but warned people may gather regardless. Pictured: Police breaking up the event
Organisers of the La Boum festival told party-goers that the event was fake several times leading up to April 1.
But even so, police officers were forced to rush in to break up the gathering and clear lockdown-breaching revellers from the park at around 5pm.
Those who refused to leave began throwing objects – including bottles – at police officers, local paper The Brussels Times reports.
It was then that police officers began using water cannons, tear gas, pepper spray and a drone to break up the party.
Chaotic footage taken at the scene shows police on horseback charging directly into revellers.
Earlier this week, mayor of the City of Brussels Philippe Close insisted the event was ‘unauthorised and fake’ – but warned people may gather regardless.
He warned that ‘police will be present at Bois de la Cambre and will act with discernment in the event of an actual gathering’ and urged party goers to concider officers ‘who have a lot of work to do and are subject to complex tasks in the context of the pandemic’.