If you are planning to go to the Belgian coast this Sunday or in the next few days, don’t forget your mask. After a period of tolerance and prevention, the police decided to take action and sanction those who do not wear a mask where it is mandatory. If you forget or do not comply with the measure, you risk a fine of up to 250 euros.
“Recess is over “, this is essentially the message that the authorities of the municipalities of the Flemish coast want to convey. Until now, offenders who did not wear a mask on the dikes on the Belgian coast were mostly called to order during police checks, “in a friendly but firm manner“.
Fines of up to € 250 and VPs starting to multiply
But today it seems that the time for awareness is over. In any case, this is what has been observed a team of the VRT present this Saturday in Blankenberge and which followed the situation in several seaside resorts. Violators risk a fine of 250 euros per person and the reports begin to multiply.
Our Dutch-speaking colleagues indicate that in recent days, nearly 200 reports have been drawn up in Blankenberge alone because people did not wear masks where they were made compulsory. In Ostend, around 70 people without a mask were fined.
►►► To read also: On the entire dike, the historic center, or the entire territory: where will the municipalities make the mask compulsory? (menu)
For Philip Denoyette from the Blankenberge-Zuienkerke police district it is clear: “No more excuses. Recess is over, it’s really serious“, says the commissioner.”If we want to tackle the virus, we really need to comply with the measures imposed on us“.
A difficult job to carry out, according to the commissioner
Obviously, the situation is not always calm when it comes to enforcing the measures imposed by the Governor of West Flanders following the last National Security Council.
Commissioner Denoyette shared his dissatisfaction on the Facebook page of his police zone, denouncing the attitude of certain tourists.
“Incredible the insults that are hurled at my employees when they try to enforce the Covid legislation. May I ask that everyone remember the rules of politeness that one learned from their parents or at school… I am proud of the calm way in which they react and of their moral resistance. (no reactions please … this is not a discussion)“.
A message published in Dutch but also translated, just below in French in order to get your message across as widely as possible. In addition, certain details in the application of wearing a mask may vary from one municipality to another. Do not hesitate to inform yourself about the common situation by commune via our interactive map but also and above all by being vigilant to the indications displayed locally.
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