Racist Murders in Antwerp: The Racism is from 'A'
About the racism that is naturalized in Vlaanderen (Belgium)
The facts are known. In Antwerp, on the night of the 30th of April / 1st of May, Mohammed Bouazza drowns in the Schelde (River of Antwerp), after he visited a night club and got chased out by racists. On the 6th of May, Raphael Mensah gets kicked into a coma by racists in Bruge. His friend Alain gets beaten black and blue as well. On the 11th of May, Songul Koc, Oulemata N'Doyie and Luna Drowart are shot down by a racist. Oulemata and Luna don't survive the attack.
Racism starts with believing that 'races' exist. 'Races' would be groups of people who share blood, culture and land. After decades of racist oppression and exclusion, science proved that all race-theories are no more than pure lies. 'Races' are simply creations of oppressive ideologists. Racism is the division of people into 'races' and putting 'racial characteristics' on people. Because of the fact that talking about 'races' is not unpunishable after WW2, racist politicians are preaching about 'cultures' today. They talk for example about language and food habits ('cultural elements'), but as well about characteristics that would be inherent to people being a part of this or that 'culture' ('cultural characteristics'). Think for example about 'talking loud', or 'criminality'. Racism always puts different groups in front of each other; it is about 'us' and 'them'. In the Flemish/Belgian context, racists speak about 'Flemish people' and 'foreigners'.You have racist ideologists, like the 'Vlaams Bang' (1), who are systematically dividing and stigmatising people into 'cultures' in their propaganda. You have crude racists, who call people with a dark skin colour 'monkeys', who call 'Moroccans' 'makakken' (2) and who can't shut up about 'illegal Polish people'. You have racists who speak less crude, but nevertheless systematically divide people into 'cultures' and have a lot of difficulties to see an individual as such. You have a white-pride neo-nazi movement which openly adore Hitler and wants to 'defend' the 'white race'. But we certainly must not forget about structural racism. This is the racism that is present in the structure of our society, for example at work, in the consequences of the policies of the government... It is the systematic oppression in our society of people who would belong to a certain 'culture' which is not the 'culture' of the rulers.
After the double murder in Antwerp, a lot of people have been pointing towards the 'Vlaams Bang', because they have been creating a climate of hate towards 'allochtonen' (foreigners). But, what about the racist policy made by the current government? Is this not a daily legitimation for racism?
What about a naturalisation policy that obliges people to speak Dutch if they want to have a change on a social apartment? Or what about an asylum policy that locks up people in closed centres, because they don't have Belgian papers? And what about the racism of the social movements? Movements that struggle for the regularisation of people who are well integrated? (3) What about the bosses who don't want to employ 'allochtonen' or the landlords who refuse to rent a place to 'allochtonen'? What about the racism of the police, who harrasses people, controls them or beats them down because they have a 'non-flemish' skin colour? What about the justice courts, that systematically give more severe punishments to people with a 'foreign' name, than to people with a 'Belgian' name? There are so many examples, no wonder... In our society, structural racism is the rule.
The democrats have got a problem with the facist 'Vlaams Bang', but refuse to face their own racist society. And in opposition to the 'naturalisation' of 'foreigners', stands the 'naturalisation' of racism in Vlaanderen. Both the facists and the democrats are responsable for this.
The Media
The media have got some clear difficulties to recognize the racism in Vlaanderen. On Terzake (TV-show with reports and interviews about news items), reporters are shocked about the francophone newspapers that put their finger on the racist spot of Vlaanderen. After the double murder in Antwerp, the media don't give any analysis about structural racism, but continue with their pig-headed division of people into 'allochtonen' (foreigners) and 'autochtonen' (Flemish people). At the same time, they've been building an excuse/stage for the murderer of Luna and Oulemata. Let us simply pose a few questions. Why does Frieda Van Temsche (Aunt of the murderer and a politician of the 'Vlaams Bang') get a free platform in several media nearly the day after the double murder? Why do journalists give her the change to explain that her 'peaceful' family has got nothing to do with the murders, and her political party even less? Why does the VRT (Flemish 'national' TV-chanel) suggests that Van Temsche started killing because he was sent away from his boarding school? Why are there so many testimonies of friends, relatives and neighbours about the friendly, social and soft character of Van Temsche? Why do psychiatrists get up to speak about borderline, suicide (4) and the mass-murder at the Columbia High School? What about the focus on violent video-games? Is Van Temsche nothing more than a 'softy', a Flemish 'young man' from around the corner, certainly not a racist (he used to make a racist joke now and then but, that's all) (5), who lost the plot because he was sent away from the boarding-school and played too much video-games? As well, the lawyers of the racists who beat Raphaël into a coma get the opportunity to say that the skinheads didn't act out of racist motives, because "the fight started with his white friend". Not much has been said about Mohammed's death, the racist offenders are still free.
But the media have made a poor showing. Have "the beasts of prey", "the scum", "the murderers", "the monsters" of the murder on "our Joe" been pardoned in the same way? (6) Adam G. and Marius O. have been described as determined murderers, only one time has it been mentioned that the killing was the result of a robbery that got out of control. About the "young man" or "rifleman" Van Temsche has been said that he was 'in a mist' when he started killing. And this despite the fact that he had told some friends about his plans and that plans for his action have been found in his room. Yet, the media permits to say that Van Temsche was not conscious about what he has done!!!
A Deafeningly Silent March
'The Grief is from "A"', this was the main call for the silent march on Friday the 26th of May. The racist division into "autochtonen" and "allochtonen" remained straight. Because a white girl has been killed (Luna), the 'white people' are shocked as well and the sadness is from "A". Because, how could a 'white person' ever grieve over the murder of a 'black person'? The march, an initiative from the families of the victims of the racist street-violence, has been recuperated by the city counsel of Antwerp. For those who do not know: "A" is the symbol that is used by the city counsel to promote their city-services (advertisement for the local cop included). Mayor Janssens (7) has been publicly crying over the events, but when you compare words to acts, the only thing left is hypocrisy. "A" or Antwerp stands for racism: day by day. "A" stands for a raid of 66 cops in "the keteltje" (a residence place for sex-workers), and the arrest of 15 "illegals" (deported to a detention centre) three days before the march. "A" stands for the teams of door-to-door controllers (8) and the sending of cops to the houses of people who refused to open their door on earlier controls, (denounced by the State) a few days before the march. "A" stands for the collaboration between the ticket-controllers of "de Lijn" (bus- and tram-company in Vlaanderen) and the foreigners department. "A" stands for constant identity-controls, police sirens and helicopter-control. "A" stands for beating by the police. The recuperation of the city counsel of Antwerpen is like a boxing glove in the face. Slogans, banners and pamphlets were not allowed, but on the head of the march people were carrying banners with the slogans: "The grief is from "A"." "Stop racism. Diversity is reality." The volunteer security-guards were wearing a fluro-shirt with the same slogan on it. The city counsel was the only visible force on this silent march.
After the march, the police denounce that it has been its biggest safety-exercise ever. 800 cops were used to keep the order. On the main news channel, VRT, it has been said that the police remained discrete. This means: the 800 cops were not all visible on the route of the march, but were driving their armoured vehicles and tanks around in parallel streets. A police helicopter followed the manifestation and the sounds of the walkie-talkies of the undercover police agents could be heard from all sides. The 2 'Vlaams Bang' offices in the neighbourhood of the march, were guarded by a dominant police force and watercanon. Extra forces for order on the silent march were made up by no less than 450 volunteers. This force were strikingly enough mostly part of those population groups who are confronted with repression and control day by day: the oppressed got promoted to the function of oppressor on the silent march. A few people have been arrested preventively, because they could "abuse" the situation. In which neighbourhoods did the police stand for their preventive arrests? On which base did they control the identity of people? On the basis of skin colour of course, the regular racist order of the day has not been broken on the 26th of May. And everything remained quiet.
In the evening, the Flemish minister, President Yves Leterme expressed his opinion on racism on Terzake. He said that he agrees with the viewpoint of the father of Joe van Holsbeek, who gave a speech on the silent march. Van Holsbeek didn't mind to say, on this march, that safety goes hand in hand with racism. Because, as he says, insecurity leads to racism, so the government has to deal in a severe way with criminality. Yves Leterme said that Flemish people who got robbed by youngsters ("who, as the statistics prove, mainly have "allochthounous/'foreign' roots") become 'Vlaams Bang' voters. Conclusion: the government has to take severe action against this "social problem". And: "We have to become a little less tolerant towards racism". Leterme and Van Holsbeek manage to turn racist attacks into facist propaganda! Do you think a silent and quiet march was such a good idea?
Resistance
But, besides grief, there has been fury as well! In the neighbourhood where Mohammed lived, official buildings have been attacked on the 10th of May. One day after, the windows of a police station have been smashed in the same neighbourhood. On the 13th of May, the police station has been attacked by molotov cocktails and a police car has been put on fire. The next day, there has been a commemoration march for the victims of the 11th of May. When a few people started shouting at the bar "The Flemish Lion" (Notorious Flemish nationalist bar), 50 people got arrested by the cops. The locks of the Antwerp metro have been sabotaged. A claim has been sent to the 'Gazet van Antwerpen' (newspaper): "In a city where racism leads to murdering, in a city where illegal people are occupying buildings to demand a better life, in a city where transport equals surveillance, it's time for change.". The weaponshop where the racist killer bought his gun has been locked with chains, "On the demand of the population". And the centre of the 'Flemish National Youth-League' was set on fire, on the 17th of May, after molotov cocktails were thrown into the building.
Whoever didn't see it by now, doesn't want to see it. Vlaanderen is out-and-out racist. Yves Leterme has set pace for the trend. More repression is the answer to racism. 'Allochthonous' and 'their behaviour' are responsable for racism. So, racism is legitimised. What will be the next step?
Stop the silence, start the storm!
Anarchists from police city Antwerp
May 2006
(1) The "Vlaams Belang" is the facist party in Vlaanderen. It means: "The Flemish cause". The "Vlaams Bang" is a parody on this name, which means the "Flemish fear".
(2) 'Kak' means 'shit' in Dutch.
(3) In Flemish cities, the UDEP-movement (Union For The Defence of Paperless, demanding general regularisation, the abolition of closed centres and deportations) has been shamelessly recuperated by social and christian movements who have been transforming the UDEP-demands into the demand of regularisation for people who have been waiting for a long time for papers and are well integrated in Vlaanderen (for example: who speak Dutch well).
(4) Which, like a reader of De Standaard (newspaper) correctly remarks, is a crude stigmatisation of people with psychological problems, who are more often the victims of violence than the perpertrators of violence.
(5) In 'De Morgen' (newspaper) appears a testimony of an old friend of the murderer who says that Van Temsche always took extreme-right standpoints in political discussions with friends and thought that all "makkaken" should leave "our" country.
(6) Joe van Holsbeek got killed in a railway-station in Brussels because he refused to give away his MP3-player. It has been the main news-item for weeks. 80,000 people came to a march in Brussels demanding the end of "useless violence" and more security. All media have been showing pictures or images of the suspects, made by security-cameras. Before the suspects were caught, the media were saying that they had 'moroccan origins'. This turned out to be untrue. But the media found another culprit: the suspects are 'illegal polish gypsies'.
(7) Jansssens was also asking the Flemish parliament if the statesmen who where pointing with a guilty finger towards Antwerp did in fact take up their part of the "burden". According to him, the State has to look at itself and admit that it has been dumping asylum-seekers in Antwerp.
(8) In the autumn of 2005, the city of Antwerp started with the systematic control of every house in "problem streets". Under the pretext of an action against rack-renters, a team of social-workers control the living conditions, the language skills, job status and the papers of the people living in these streets. They give the information to the governmental institutions relevant.
What after the murder of Joe?
- From now on, the 'youth sanction right' will be applied for "stubborn young criminals". These youngsters will be adjusted by special youth courts and can get effective punishments up to 5 years.
- A new closed institution with the capacity of 200 places will be built for these youngsters.
- The money allocated for the coaching of "problem youngsters" will be tripled. "Problem youngsters" will be taken away from school for a few weeks, to make them learn to walk 'the straight and narrow path'. In Antwerp there already exists the SWAT-school, a school in old army barracks where "stubborn truants" are sent for a few months.
- The control on skipping school will be sharpened. Politicians are re-discussing to financially punish the parents of truants by blocking their child allowance.
- The NMBS (railway company) announces that it will hire 40 extra security-guards and that they will increase the amount of video surveilled stations up to 50.
- In Gent, 2 extra cops will be hired for "youth criminality".
- The function of the 'assistant cops' (who used to occupy themselves with the control of ticket machines etc.) extended. They now can make identity controls, they can stop 'criminals', guard arrested people, they can body search, make charges of traffic accidents. This means: 1750 extra cops on the street.
- The CD&V (Flemish Christian party) proposes an "alert government". They want registration centres for youngsters who feel unsafe. According to them, the visibility of the local cop has to increase and the Justice of the Peace has to be able to take preventive measures (like for example 'instant justice' dispensed on the street without court appearance). They want 14 "Education shops" to be opened, where parents can consume the opinions of the rulers about how to deal with "trouble youth".
- The legal director of the Brussels police, Glenn Audenart, is satisfied about the fact that the civilians have helped the police so much in this murder case. He calls safety a "collective responsibility" and thinks that "people have to help the police to solve this ('criminality') and to take care of safety."
- Several local governments are thinking about the criminalisation of 'gathering'.
What after the murder of Oulemata and Luna, the death of Mohammed, the attacks on Songul and Raphael?
- Some politicians think that the government has to stop giving money to the 'Vlaams Bang'. Other politicians think it's time for mourning and contemplation.
- The restrictment of the weapon law is a fact (that had been on the political agenda for a long time).
- The racists that are responsible for the death of Mohammed are still free.
- Politicians are against 'equal opportunities' and against positive action against the structural racism of the shop floor, because they think it's 'discriminatory'.
- Yves Leterme wants more repression, because he thinks 'criminality' is the cause of racism.
These texts were translated from the free anarchist journal 'DE NAR', about the racist murders in Antwerp (Belgium) in May 2006. It gives a clear overview about what democratic racism and its equivalent -democratic anti-racism- means. At the end, it also gives a brief overview of the pockets of resistance against the fascists, the racist city counsel of Antwerp and the democratic parties.
Feel free to distribute...
Originally published in anarchist journal 'De Nar', issue of June 2006 De Nar