Pyrotechnics will be banned from December 23, 2022 to January 9, 2023 inclusive on the territory of Brussels-Capital, the Minister-President of the Region, Rudi Vervoort, announced on Friday. The decision was taken with a view to guaranteeing the safety of the police officers in the field as much as possible.
The possession and transport of all entertainment fireworks (including sound cannons or carbide cannons) by individuals will be prohibited on public roads.
The measure follows a request from local police chiefs, who want to guarantee the safety of police officers in the field as much as possible. In recent weeks, they have been the target of pyrotechnic devices on the sidelines of Morocco’s matches at the FIFA World Cup.
“The end-of-year celebrations draw a lot of people into town and must remain festive moments taking place in a climate of security, both for citizens, our merchants and for law enforcement.“, underlines the Minister-President in a press release. In order to”prevent the police from being victims of misuse of the normal use of pyrotechnic means“, the ban on the possession and transport of fireworks for entertainment in the public space has been taken, he adds.
The head of the Brussels-Capital-Ixelles police zone will ensure the unity of command for the maintenance of public order during the preparations linked to the supervision of the end-of-year festivities.