The victim could not participate in the press conference organized on Wednesday, having had an anxiety attack before intervening. It remains deeply affected by what she has experienced and by the dissemination of hateful content on social networks.
It was therefore his lawyer who told the version of her client about the incident. On August 8 at 2:01 p.m., Grace T. and his sister, accompanied by their niece, took the train to Vilvorde. The ticket distributor being out of service, they photographed the device and informed the controller of their intention to buy the tickets on board. He would have replied: “It’s always like that with people like you”, “first racist contact”, insists the lawyer. Finally, they bought the online tickets. Grace T. also had a valid annual subscription.
At Brussels-Nord station, three security agents are set up on board. The tone rose quickly with two of them. The third, noting the validity of the transport titles, asked that the situation be settled calmly. One of the agents nevertheless demanded to see passports and residence permits, “which does not fall under its powers”, specifies Selma Benkhelifa, and questioned the identity of the two Norwegian women, “as if it were impossible that two people of Congolese origin are Norwegian. Again, a racist reaction”, tonnes of the lawyer. He seized the passports and ordered the three women to get off the train.
On the platform, one of the agents violently pushed one of the Norwegians, a 55 -year -old lady, as we can see on a video filmed by Gracet. “By trying to intervene, she was projected on the ground, kept face down, her twisted arm in the back, and threatened to be torn off the arm,” said the lawyer. According to Selma Benkhelifa, the victim yelled, fearing for his life, evoking at that moment the death of George Floyd. The agent then handcuffed Grace T., hands behind his back, until the police arrive. A security agent present recognized that violence came from his colleague, still relates the lawyer. The identity of women was verified with the Norway Embassy, confirming the validity of their documents. They left in Norway the same day. A first assault and injury complaint was recorded.
The Brussels prosecutor’s office confirmed the opening of two separate surveys. One concerns the voluntary assault and injuries attributable to the security agent, the other targets similar facts committed by another person involved. “During this intervention, blows would have been brought both by the agent and by the person involved,” said the prosecution. In the interest of the survey, no other information is communicated for the moment.
“My client only tried to try to defend herself, at no time, she tried to take a blow to the security agent,” said Selma Benkhelifa.
The SNCB declares this Wednesday evening that it “strongly regrets this incident” and that it “takes it very seriously”. She launched an internal investigation as to the exact facts and circumstances. Depending on the results of this survey, the appropriate measures will be taken, ensures the company.
A citizen demonstration is scheduled for Friday in front of the Brussels central station to denounce an intervention deemed violent and racist of security agents against Grace T. The action is organized by a collective citizen support for the victim, who demands the immediate suspension of the agents concerned, the opening of an independent investigation, as well as public exempts from the SNCB.
