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.
The shootings have reached homes, public hospitality venues and a police building. The parliamentary dispute will test whether Brussels and federal authorities can turn competing demands over responsibility and resources into a coordinated security response.
Updated 25 August 2026, 14:15 CEST — . The opposition demanded an urgent meeting of the ’s on Tuesday, 25 August, after several days of shootings in , and . BX1 and Belga identified Brussels MP 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 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 Times, citing Belga and mayor Jean Spinette, reported that a gunman fired an automatic weapon near 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 -South police zone previously confirmed to BRUZZ that another shooting in 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 late Friday. The 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 , Forest and 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.
The political divide crosses institutional lines. The PS has demanded more federal resources, while 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.
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.
Local — The immediate effects are concentrated in Anderlecht, Saint-Gilles and Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, where residents, hospitality businesses and police personnel have faced shootings close to homes, public venues or official premises. No one was injured in the attack on the Anderlecht police station or the Place des Deux Bancs incident, but two people were injured in the other shootings. The political response may affect coordination among municipalities, Brussels police zones, the regional authorities and federal services.
What it means for you
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.
Opposing perspectives
- N-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.
Who, where and what
Key people, places and terms in this story
Region in which the shootings and political dispute are taking place.
Capital city affected by several days of gunfire.
Brussels municipality where shots struck a police station.
Brussels municipality where a shooting injured a person.
N-VA member of the Brussels Parliament pressing the regional government for answers.
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N-VA member of the Brussels Parliament pressing the regional government for answers.
Region in which the shootings and political dispute are taking place.
Capital city affected by several days of gunfire.
Brussels municipality where shots struck a police station.
Brussels municipality where a shooting injured a person.
Brussels municipality where a separate shooting injured a person.
Location near which gunfire was reported on Monday evening without injuries.
Police building struck by gunfire late Friday.
Opposition party requesting an urgent parliamentary committee meeting.
Regional legislature asked to convene an urgent committee meeting.
Parliamentary committee requested to examine the government’s security response.
Judicial authority investigating the violence and planning a Friday press briefing.
Local leaders calling for a federal plan against drug-related violence.
Local policing structures involved in security and operational coordination across the region.
Sources & evidence
- View sourceBX1 / Belga — N-VA requests urgent committee meetingPrimaryprimary· bx1.be· 25 August 2026Retrieved 25 August 2026· 38 days ago· Dated
- View sourceBRUZZ — Saint-Gilles shooting and arrestscorroborating· bruzz.be· 24 August 2026Retrieved 25 August 2026· 39 days ago· Dated
- View sourceBRUZZ — Molenbeek shootingcorroborating· bruzz.be· 24 August 2026Retrieved 25 August 2026· 39 days ago· Dated
- View sourceThe Brussels Times / Belga — third consecutive day of shootings in Saint-Gillescorroborating· brusselstimes.com· 24 August 2026Retrieved 25 August 2026· 39 days ago· Dated
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This briefing was prepared with AI assistance and reviewed by a Belgium Impulse editor before publication. methodology.