A massive fight broke out on a beach in Belgium on Saturday that got so out of hand, police were forced to call in reinforcements. The incident took place at Blankenberge Beach in West Flanders and all started when a lifeguard told a group of young people that they weren’t allowed to sit on the breakwater, The Brussels Times reports. From there, all hell broke loose.
Alweer intrieste taferelen aan onze Vlaamse kust. #Blankenberge pic.twitter.com/7L3w2AbU8t
— Jef Dweislap (@JefDweislap) August 8, 2020
- When the kids refused to move, the police were called. The police asked the group of youngsters to leave but they refused, instead causing a scene that was described as “total chaos” that overwhelmed officers and was a scary experience for other beachgoers, no doubt.
- They began using beach equipment as weapons. Many of the people involved in the fight began picking up beach umbrellas, sun loungers, and other equipment to use as weapons to swing or throw. “There was suddenly massive fighting and total chaos broke out. Sun umbrellas and sunbeds flew, windsurfing poles were used as weapons,” a bar manager told De Standaard.Â
- Backup had to be called to the scene. Eventually, police had to call in officers from Bruges and De Haan to help control the scene. The fight was finally brought to an end and a number of people were arrested at the scene.
- Blackenberge Mayor Daphné Dumery has since banned visitors to the beach. From Sunday, August 9, she canceled all trains to the resort town to keep visitors from heading there. “I think this is terrible,” she said, condemning those responsible. “For people who come with good intention and want to enjoy a day in Blankenberge, this is very bad. I think of children and their parents.”
- Safety measures are in place for a reason. Coronavirus is still very much a thing and rules have been put in place to protect people as much as possible. When scenes like this erupt, everyone loses. There really is no reason or excuse for this sort of behavior.
