Belgian government frees up €4 million to secure Jewish neighbourhoods

The federal government has announced it will set aside €4 million to improve security in the country’s largest Jewish neighbourhoods and institutions in Brussels and Antwerp. The funds will go to the purchase and installation of cameras, security doors and gates, bullet-proof glass and other technical material, confirms interior minister Jan Jambon.

Belgium’s Jewish community has been calling for additional safety measures for some time. The government already provides military personnel in areas with an increased risk, but will now focus on technical interventions.

"We know that as long as there are unresolved conflicts in the Middle East, there will always be a certain threat," explains Jambon, who will re-evaluate the need for soldiers in the streets following the installation of the new technology.