N-VA politician Cieltje Van Bossuyt criticized Ghent Mathias De Clercq on Friday over the exhibition of a police patrol car featuring a pig’s head at the STAM city museum.
The artwork, which depicts a police combi with the head of a swine, has drawn sharp condemnation from political figures and police unions alike. Van Bossuyt did not mince words regarding the display, calling it “a slap in the face of our police,” as reported by Nieuwsblad.
The controversy intensifies as more people express concern over physical threats and violence directed at law enforcement officers. Critics have specifically pointed to recent tragedies, including the fatal stabbing of police officer Nordine, to show the insensitivity of the museum piece at this time.
Representatives from the police union have also voiced deep outrage over the installation. They argue that the artwork undermines the safety and dignity of officers who patrol the streets daily.
“What if he zélf with a pig’s head is depicted,” the union questioned, directing criticism squarely at the mayor’s office for allowing the exhibition to proceed in a public institution, according to HLN.
The union formally demanded that De Clercq immediately intervene and order the removal of the controversial display from the STAM museum. They characterized the piece not as provocative modern art, but rather as a deliberate effort to disparage the police force.
“This is a work to slander the police,” union representatives stated, as noted by Nieuwsblad.
Museum management at STAM defended the exhibition in the face of mounting political and union pressure. Officials maintained that contemporary artistic expression often addresses complex social tensions.
“Sometimes history chafes,” the STAM museum responded, acknowledging the discomfort generated by the artwork, according to HLN.
