Belgium
10:57 20/01/2021
Rudi Vervoort, the minister-president of the Brussels-Capital Region, warned parliament on Tuesday that the corona crisis is creating fertile ground for polarisation - echoing concerns from experts who fear an increase in radicalisation during the current pandemic. In recent months, certain groups have developed a radical discourse that, through the spread of fake news, calls into question the credibility of the authorities, Vervoort told the home affairs committee.
The coronavirus crisis accentuates social fault lines and feelings of insecurity among citizens, Vervoort said, quoting from a report from experts involved in the new Global Safety and Prevention Plan (GVPP) for the period 2021-2024. The plan aims to develop strategies for dealing with five types of organised and subversive crime, including radicalisation, in the region.