No fireworks in Brussels on New Year’s Eve
There will be no fireworks display this New Year’s Eve in the centre of Brussels, announced mayor Yvan Mayeur (pictured) on the advice of OCAD, the supervisory body for the terror threat level in the city, reports VRT Nieuws.
There had been uncertainty for several weeks around the traditional New Year’s Eve fireworks and festivities, which normally take place between Place de la Bourse and Place de Brouckere in the centre of Brussels. Due to the raised terror threat level on Monday, however, which increased from level two to three, the City and its mayor decided to cancel the event.
Mayeur’s decision came following the most recent report from OCAD, the body responsible for detecting the threat of a possible terror attack. “According to OCAD, the event brought too big of a risk for the crowd,” said Mayeur tonight.
The decision is not unexpected, as the terror threat level remains at three throughout the country, the second highest level. It is, nevertheless, bad news for Brussels hotels and restaurants, which have already suffered a substantial loss of clientele under the raised terror threat level in recent months.