Vlaams Belang politician Filip Dewinter and his colleague Anke Van dermeersch were involved in a confrontation on Friday at the Grote Markt, outside Antwerp City Hall in Belgium. Dewinter says he was spat at and pushed; footage filmed by Van dermeersch shows a man grabbing him by the neck. The family celebrating a wedding says the dispute began after the politicians filmed the gathering. Police detained two people for questioning.

(Editorial desk: Belgium / Politics & Society)

A confrontation took place around midday on Friday at the Grote Markt in Antwerp, outside City Hall. Filip Dewinter, a prominent figure in the Vlaams Belang party, and fellow party member Anke Van dermeersch became involved in an altercation with a Belgian-Moroccan family celebrating a wedding nearby. Dewinter sustained a minor injury, including a cut above his eyebrow.

Dewinter’s account: “My presence acted like a red flag”

According to statements Dewinter gave to Flemish media, he was heading to City Hall for a meeting with local councillors and to sign the condolence register for John De Wilde, a member of the band De Strangers. Having left his access badge at home, he had to enter through the main entrance, while Van dermeersch was waiting inside.

About 40–50 people were gathered at the Grote Markt, playing drums as part of the wedding celebrations. Dewinter says that when he tried to enter the building, he was spat at and pushed. “My presence apparently worked like a red flag to a bull,” he said.

Footage filmed by Van dermeersch

Van dermeersch recorded part of the incident. The footage shows a man grabbing Dewinter by the neck and pushing him backwards. Van dermeersch also appears to be pushed and pulled by another woman during the commotion. What happened before and after this short clip remains unclear.

The family’s account: “We were filmed without permission”

Speaking to the newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws, the family celebrating the wedding offered a different account. They said the dispute began before any physical confrontation because Van dermeersch started filming those present without their consent. They reportedly viewed the filming as provocative, and the situation then escalated.

Police response

Antwerp police quickly attended the scene with several units. Police spokesperson Kim Bastiaens said two people from the group gathered in the square were stopped and taken to the station for questioning. Dewinter filed a complaint, and the authorities are investigating to establish the sequence of events.

Conclusion

The incident outside Antwerp City Hall has brought tensions between Vlaams Belang representatives and the city’s Moroccan community back into focus. The parties give different accounts, and the footage shared by Van dermeersch does not show the full sequence of events. Investigators will need to establish how the confrontation escalated and whether offences were committed.