Friday, June 27, 2008

Another Rape in the Gare du Midi

I reported on Monday about the rape of a young woman by North African immigrants in the Gare du Midi in Brussels. The Belgian media now report that another gang rape has occurred since then in the same location.

It’s important to note that in the article about this latest crime there is no mention of the religion or ethnicity of the young woman’s assailants. We don’t yet know whether this case is like the earlier one, in which the victim identified her attackers as Muslim immigrants.

I’ve translated an article from today’s edition of La Dernière Heure. Thanks to Fausta for helping me with the translation. Any errors remaining in the text are mine:

New rape in the Gare du Midi

Five men attacked a young woman. It’s the second tragedy to occur in the same place within two weeks!


Anderlecht — A few days ago, we reported the distress of a dad dealing with the rape of his daughter in the Gare du Midi, Anderlecht. Two individuals assaulted her after she exited the train. They pushed her up against a wall near the Bancontact and abused her with impunity. Passengers watched the event but no one stopped to help the girl who had a knife at her throat!

We now learn that a second tragedy took place a few days ago in the very same station. “A young woman was attacked by five men,” confirms the Brussels prosecutor’s office.

“The five men forced her to leave the station and go with them. The young woman was forcibly taken to an apartment where she was abused by her captors.” Given the fact that the young woman is in shock, the investigation is only just beginning. “It is difficult to listen to. The case is still in the information-gathering stage, waiting until we can re-interview the young woman.”
- - - - - - - - -
Of course, this second tragedy shocked the father of Lola, the first victim. “No, but you realize what kind of world we live in?” explains Marc. “I am outraged not to be have any news of justice. It has been twelve days since my daughter was abused, and it was I who had to call the magistrate to find out the status of the case.”

And it is not very advanced. “I was told that the certificates had been forwarded. I checked: it had not been done. And then I finally received a phone call from the officer in charge of the investigation.” Marc has learned that video from a camera had been obtained. “But it did not record the rape.”

The camera that could have recorded the drama was not functioning. “Twenty new cameras were placed in the Gare du Midi, but they were operational only from 13 June,” it was explained.

And therefore they were not in place the day before, June 12, at 9:00 pm… “The day of the heinous rape of Lola, who was attacked because she was too pretty and was not wearing a veil,” adds her dad, embittered.


Hat tip: Gaia.

26 comments:

Afonso Henriques said...

Disgusting.

I wonder why the Belgian MSM is not hiding the rapes though. Is Belgium about to collapse as Paul of the Brussels Journal so ardently desires?

Zenster said...

Please pardon what may be my overly logical approach to this but: Once the Gare du Midi had proven an advantageous location to commit a violent sexual offense, shouldn't the site have been allocated extra security resources for the explicit purpose of thwarting any recurrence of any similarly tragic event?

I seem to recall that this is standard operating proceedure for many law enforcement organizations around the world. I can only wonder why the Belgian authorities refrained from implementing such routine measures. Perhaps they were afraid that Muslims would perceive such a move as an expectation of repeat offense and, therefore, a form of profiling.

To paraphrase Monty Python:

Tonight's show comes live from the tiny village of Rabid in Buckinghamshire, and our first question tonight is from a Mrs. Elizabeth Scrint who says she is going on a Mediterranean cruise next week and can't find anything wrong with the Syrians.

Well, Mrs Scrint, apart from being totally unprincipled left-wing troublemakers, the Syrians are also born skivers, they're dirty, smelly and untrustworthy, and, of course, they're friends of the awful gippos. (applause) There you are, Mrs Scrint, I hope that answers some of your problems - have a nice trip. (more applause)

Well now, the result of last week's competition when we asked you to find a derogatory term for ... the Belgian Muslims. Well, the response was enormous and we took quite a long time sorting out the winners. There were some very clever entries.

Mrs. Hatred of Leicester Said 'let's not call them anything, let's just ignore them' ... (applause starts vigorously, but he holds his hands up for silence) ... and a Mr. St John of Huntingdon said he couldn't think of anything more derogatory than “Muslims” (cheers and applause; a girl in showgirl costume comes on and holds up placards through the next bit)

But in the end we settled on three choices: number three ... “The Moose Limbs” (placard 'The Moose Limbs'), sent in by Mrs. Vicious of Hastings ... very nice; number two ... “The Slammers” (placard) ... from Mrs. Childmolester of Worthing; but the winner was undoubtedly from Mrs. No-Supper-For-You from Norwood in Lancashire ... "Miserable Fat Misogynistic Rapist Islamic Belgian Bastards”. (placard; roar of applause) Very good - thank you, Carol. (Carol exits)

But as you know on this programme we're not just prejudiced against race or colour, we're also prejudiced against - yes, you've guessed, stinking Islamic clerics! (applause) So before the streets start emptying in Chelsea tonight; Let's go straight over to our popular prejudiced panel game and invite you once again to - Shoot The Imam!

kepiblanc said...

Baron, you wrote: It’s important to note that in the article about this latest crime there is no mention of the religion or ethnicity of the young woman’s assailants. We don’t yet know whether this case is like the earlier one, in which the victim identified her attackers as Muslim immigrants.

Yes, we certainly know. The "no mention" part is indicative: If the perpetrators were anything but Muslims the MSM would go out of their way to mention - no, underscore - precisely that.

Unknown said...

I appreciate that you people care about what’s happening to Europe. But what are we actually going to DO about it?

Any ideas?

Diamed said...

@steven: I actually gave a 3 part plan on what to 'Do', but was greeted with 'that's totalitarian' and 'that will cause a heap of skulls.'

So basically we aren't willing to lose any of our luxuries, freedoms (even the freedom to self-destruct), or hurt anyone to save Europe (or for that matter the entire world).

Given these parameters there's obviously nothing we can do. And, remember, the gates of vienna crowd is the most serious advocate of Western self-defense in the blogosphere. IE, if even we aren't willing, you won't gather a force together of even 1,000 who are.

The only thing to do is wait for things to get even worse, so that more people are willing to sacrifice more to change it, and then raise the exact same plan again, every five years or so, until people are willing to pay the butcher's bill.

I honestly think we're doomed and will never raise out of our torpor, I see no signs of progress anywhere. The hopeful idea that we could somehow 'do' something and, personally, turn the whole world around, is rather castle in the sky. Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the show. There's only 40 years left now. We started the war on terror 7 years ago, and haven't even pacified Afghanistan or caught Bin Laden. That should give you some context. We have 6 afghan wars left to save the ENTIRE world from NUMEROUS trends ALL of which spell our extinction. And yet we couldn't even maintain a single, small, weak state or keep it from enacting sharia, buying young boy prostitutes, or selling vast quantities of drugs right under our noses, with our tacit approval.

Does this sound like a people, a civilization, able to do anything?

Unknown said...

I think you are right Diamond. Political correctness has done what Islam could never have done by itself.

Maybe life is too easy. Most of the men I work with in their twenties and thirties go home and play the xbox after work. I can’t see how we could convince them to leave their xbox and cleanse their neighbourhoods of a religion that will enslave their children (if they bother to have them) to Sharia law.

Zenster said...

Diamed: @steven: I actually gave a 3 part plan on what to 'Do', but was greeted with 'that's totalitarian' and 'that will cause a heap of skulls.'

No, I did not write, “a heap of skulls”. I wrote that your proposal amounted to:

“The rallying cry upon which mountains of skulls have been built.”

Diamed, if you’re going to quote people, you might wish to do so correctly. What Henrik really said was:

Henrik R Clausen: Diamed, I don't think your draft makes one ounce of sense. Totalitarian regimes are constructed on basis of plans like that.

You also left out Artfldgr’s assessments of “crazy” and “broken in [your] thought patterns”.

I’ll be happy to repost your entire tripe volcano in full if you continue to insist that your own solutions are viable.

Baron Bodissey said...

Kepiblanc --

You are quite right, but I think it's important to point out which things are facts and which are assumptions or speculation.

No matter what, we will be vilified for what we say here, but if we continue to stick to the facts and correct errors promptly, we will be more effective in the long run.

Baron Bodissey said...

Diamed --

You and others seem to make the same error repeatedly: you think that because you don't read about it, nothing is in fact being done.

It's a false assumption. Most things that can be done (and in some cases are being done) aren't discussed here, nor should they be. But just because you don't see them doesn't mean they're not happening.

If you're not already involved in an action-oriented group -- if all you're doing is posting online -- then it's time for you to find one and contribute. You won't get rich or famous doing it, but you become part of the solution.

If you already are involved, then I commend you, but don't assume that others are not doing the same thing.

To quote the Tao Te Ching (Chapter 36):

Fish cannot leave deep waters,
And a country's weapons should not be displayed.

Henrik R Clausen said...

Diamed, when I dismissed your proposal so bluntly, it is because it is utterly simplistic and unworkable. People have been coming up with simplistic solutions to all kinds of problems for millenia, and usually they don't work. If we're lucky, the plans are abandoned, if not, they are enforced in face of common sense, and much suffering (as in millions of dead) may follow.

When dealing with the issues at hand, the people here and elsewhere are digging inton one aspect, or another. Some deal with the history of Islam, some deal with current violent events. Some dig into historical arguments (just watch Fjordman), some try to understand what makes democracy work, and some dissect the workings of the European Union.

Some of us have contacts to politicians who listen to us and in some cases even take ideas for legislation. Some participate in blog debates or write to newpapers, and some contribute with translation of stuff like the Wilders movie.

There's quite a bit to do (and plenty to read, and every reason to participate on a practical level. I've read enough doom-sayers to make me dismiss them on sight, although I do believe we're in for a major crisis over the next decade or two.

The joyful participation in democracy is something we share. It started by facing up to Islam, asserting the right to be critical and keep insulting its fallacies, but many of us are finding that there are other related issues that deserve our attention.

So that's what we do in our spare time :)

Afonso Henriques said...

"But what are we actually going to DO about it?"

Steven, I agree with Diamed. And if we are to do something (some of we have, no doubt), that will not change the world, as I think you're purposing.

My bet is to make people's mind, show them what's happening. Feeling the vibe of the environment. Then, when and if it comes to you, you'll have to fight to survive. If you want to prevent "the catastrophe" to happen, the better you have to do is to draw your goals, what you vallue the most and kill all the contraditions on that.

Meanwhile, go educate ourself and others...

Conservative Swede said...

Hi Diamed!

I agree there are not so many signs of hope. But I just wanted to share one with you. The Berlusconi government in Italy is really doing something:

Silvio Berlusconi's 'iron fist' laws approved

Of course it's a delicate liberal journalist that calls it "iron fist laws". These laws are just a natural part (as a minimum) of a vital and caring society.

I agree with the Danish newcomer, whose name I have forgotten ("S"-something_dk). The lack of insight in Denmark is very frustrating. Denmark has come as far as they have done by being honest liberals -- honest and serious -- but they are still liberals (as we find among the majority of Danish commenters here). Compared to the Swedes, who are rather dishonest socialists, they are what clean air is to a can of surströmming. But compared to the task we are task we are up against, it only amounts to a beginning of a beginning. And the Danes seems content to halt there...

Regarding your three points plan, I see nothing wrong with it. It's a bad sign indeed how it's received here. This doesn't make your views mine. In my view, you are too much of a cultural leftist (just like the vast majority of commenters here), bashing the southerns states, exposing egalitarian ideals, bla-bla-bla "slave trade", etc. And as for "replacing Capitalism", I do not want to replace it. Quite as with Christianity, I want to put it into a place where it has no political influence. But this is also what your three points would do.

Anonymous said...

@steven

But what are we actually going to DO about it?

... is the wrong question.

The question appropriate is "But what am I actually going to DO about it?" is the question that needs to be asked. Action does not depend on 'we'. Action depends on 'I'.

The answer is 'develop the character and discipline stand up for what is right and to stand up against what is wrong'. This runs the gamut to writing letters to Belgian authorities demanding explanation, to campaigning for removal of incompetent bureaucrats, to carrying yourself with the self confidence that communicates 'that nonsense will not be tolerated in my presence', to staring punks squarely in the eye and taking them down with brute force if required. One might even have to go so far as to be willing to be called a bad name, horror of horrors.

When you use the word 'we', it suggest you are looking to others. It starts with individual responsibility. Do what you need to do and it will serve as encouragement to others to do the same.

Here's a risk free, courage-not-required, oblique approach idea to start with: Write a polite letter to the Belgian tourism authorities expressing your deep concern about these incidents and how you are beginning to feel that it may be unsafe to vacation there with your family. Such an approach does to things - 1) it embarrasses them and 2) hints at economic impact and 3) suggests they are at risk of failing in their jobs if tourism declines.

Now some cynical people are sure to dismiss this this as a waste of time. Perhaps it is. But maybe not. You don't know for sure. The point is that YOU DID SOMETHING. Doing anything is better than doing nothing. You went from passive to active. You re no longer on the sidelines, but are now in the game. THAT is the transition that needs to occur - from passive to active. Larger things will follow.

Do what you are able to do and go to sleep at night with the peace of mind and satisfaction that comes from knowing you are no longer part of the problem - but part of the solution.

Henrik R Clausen said...

Let me just tuck in an additional comment about Capitalism: It's a good way to make sure that material needs are met in an honorable way - freeing ones' spare time to do other interesting things.

Mega-capitalists of the ages have also been known to spend their money on interesting projects, like the art-sponsoring Medici family.

Trying to put down the basic needs of making a living for 'more noble' purposes usually results in a big mess.

pistache said...

The victim spoke to the newspaper "La Dernière heure" today: http://www.dhnet.be/infos/faits-divers/article/213007/temoignage-insoutenable-apres-un-viol-collectif.html

Here's a (very quickly made) translation of it:

The drama started around 7pm, on the 22th. “ I had just left the hospital. My boyfriend was not at home, and I didn't have the keys, so I told myself that I would wait in some public space, somewhere where there's people around. “ In Gare du Midi. “ I was seating on a bench alongside the station's police unit. Two men arrived, one young, the other older. ” They made some small talk. They left, then came back. “ They told me they would help me get home. “ Things happened very quickly. Mathilde was taken along, in taxi, then lead by force into an apartment. There began the ordeal. “They hit me on the face, on the body. They hold my wrists...” Mathilde bursts into tears... She can't resume. “I see the scene again and again.”

Benoît [her partner] carries on. “I'm going to read you her hearing account...”, he explains. “After the rape, they lifted me up, then cleaned me.”

A few seconds later, the older men – thirty-ish – raped her a second time. “without condom, as did the young one, who was about 18 years old.”

Again, Mathilde was brought under the shower. “They then put me in a room with a double bed. A third man arrived. I begged him not to touch me. He answered 'Shut up'.” According to Mathilde, this third man paid her second rapist. “I was sold.”

After another beating, she was raped again. “She's covered in bruises from head to toe. It is unbelievable.”

Third rape but, alas, not the last. After another shower, a fourth man arrived. “He was in his fifties; he didn't speak french. The 30-ish men was translating for him.

Mathilde was then made drunk. “They forced me to drink whisky. That's when the older guy raped me too.” After this fourth rape came a fifth.

Taking advantage of their victim's weakness, distress and drunkenness, the rapists did it over and over again.

Mathilde had her clothes put back on and was thrown in a metro station. “They threatened me with death if I sued. I went directly to the police.”

El said...

gosh, i wonder why the fourth man couldn't speak french. might that be significant?

babs said...

Chalons -

What a marvelous idea! Especially when I consider that I honestly would not visit Brussels right now due to the lawlessness and the gov'ts refusal to do anything about it other than wring their hands and sweep it under the rug...

spackle said...

This makes me so mad I think my head might explode. The perpetrators mindset of abusing an innocent human being like this is so alien to me that I cant wrap my head around it? That is until I start to think about getting these savages into a dark room tied up and helpless. I think the only thing that is going to change this in the short term is when the victims loved ones dont mind doing prison time for doing the right thing to this scum. Much like gangbangers (gang members) do in this country.

No. I am not saying gang members are swell guys. They are the types that commit these crimes. It is just that "us against the world" and "take no prisoners" mindset to which I am referring. When the "authorities" see that common people are taking care of business on a large scale only will they then move their minds. That is of course until they blame everything except the obvious.

Vlad Z. said...

It says a lot about Europe (mostly good) that there is a whole bunch of commentary on two rapes.

Rape is an everyday occurance in America. Gang rape is also pretty common. These stories often don't make the papers due to squeamish editors and "rape shield laws" which make it illegal to name or otherwise identify victims of rape.


It has become ubiquitous in America.

Anonymous said...

Notice the details in the victim's testimony about the shower after each rape. Muslims are required by the Sunnah to wash after sex. Her assailants were undoubtedly Muslims.

Vlad Z. said...

For instance this web site (http://www.cityrating.com/crimestatistics.asp) has crime statistics, (for 2003) and it shows that:

New York had 1609 'forcible rapes' that year (1/2 the national per-capita average)

Houston, Texas: 768 forcible rapes
Portland, Oregon: 310
Cincinati, OH 310
Detroit, MI 814
Las Vegas, 511

Los Angeles: 1226
Glendale: 18
Half Moon Bay: 3 (pop: 12,000)
Compton: 41 (pop 96,000)

It's everywhere, or mostly everywhere.

Hasn't caused a civil war yet, but we DO incarcerate a lot of people. Most of them, in my limited experience, belong there, the longer the better.

Hopefully these statistics can also help our European friends understand our attachment to handguns, which at the end of the day are really the only effective defense against crimes like those described in the article. I simple five shot .38 would have ended this escapade in the Taxi cab.

Zenster said...

spackle: The perpetrators mindset of abusing an innocent human being like this is so alien to me that I cant wrap my head around it?

Now, please remind me, which culture is it that routinely abuses women in a similar fashion?

Queen: Notice the details in the victim's testimony about the shower after each rape. Muslims are required by the Sunnah to wash after sex. Her assailants were undoubtedly Muslims.

And our delightful Queen wins the Kewpie doll!!!

I wouldn't bet a used Kleenex on the rapists being anything but Muslims.

Vlad Z. said...

Yes, well we can pretty readily know who is committing those thousands and thousands of rapes and other violent crimes in the USA too. But, so what? What can you do? The most obvious is to know the facts, but we are officialy discouraged from doing so. (It's racist!)

But if we are to live with easily identifable barbarians in our midst we should at least teach our kids that we know what they are.

Lawrence Auster has a recent posting about some Christian recording studio owners who chatted up two black thugs for 30 minutes outside their studio. They were then shot dead for their car and the money in their pockets.

These two poor fellows are the poster children for misguided liberal world views that says we must judge everyone as a perfectly equal individual. Why?

As J. Taylors excellent book tells us: Blacks are seven times more likely than people of other races to commit murder, and eight times more likely to commit robbery.

I don't think Brussels Muslim minority is that violent yet.

You have a long way to descend to be experiencing everyday life in America!

spackle said...

"Now, please remind me, which culture is it that routinely abuses women in a similar fashion?"

Zenster-

Well Duh! : )

And that is the problem that no one dare speak. It is a common to THAT culture as drinking mint tea. I re-watched a an excellent De Sica film a couple of days ago called "two women" in the which Sophia Loren and her daughter are gang raped my a bunch of Morrocans in a church (very aprapo) at the end of ww2. One only has to do a little research to see that this was not only common but almost expected. There was even a word for it. "Marocchinate". To be raped by a Moroccan.

"Montecassino was captured by the Allies on May 18, 1944. That next night, thousands of Goumiers and other colonial troops swarmed over the slopes of the hills surrounding the town and in the villages of Ciociaria (South Latium). Over 2,000 women, ranging in age from 11 years to 86 years, suffered from violence, when village after village came under control of the Goumiers. Civilian men who tried to protect their own wives and daughters were murdered without mercy; the number of men killed has been estimated at roughly 800 [1]. Two sisters aged 15 and 18 were raped by dozens of soldiers each; one died shortly after, the surviving one was still in a mental hospital in 1997, 53 years after the event.[citation needed] Most of the dwellings in the villages were destroyed and everything of value was stolen.
The mayor of Esperia (a comune in the Province of Frosinone), reported that in his town, 700 women out of 2,500 inhabitants were raped and that some had died as a result."

"The stories of mass rapes and slaughter of Italian peasants, reportedly prompted Pope Pius XII to communicate to the Allied command his intense wish that the CEF not be allowed into the city of Rome at its liberation[3].
Later, in northern Latium and southern Tuscany, it is alleged that the Goumiers raped and, occasionally killed, women and young men after the Germans retreated, including members of local anti-fascist partisan formations.[citation needed]
Later in the war, it is reported that the Goums raped around 500 women in the Black Forest town of Freudenstadt, on April 17, 1945, after its capture. In Stuttgart, the French colonial troops (mostly African) under the command of General de Lattre de Tassigny, rounded up around 2,000 women and herded them into the underground subways to be raped. In the week after, more women were raped in Stuttgart than in the whole of France during the four year German occupation[citation needed].
French authorities still dispute the majority of these claims.
In Castro dei Volsci, a monument (the "Mamma Ciociara") now stands to remember all the women and mothers who tried in vain to defend themselves and their daughters."

Lovely culture isnt it. I fail to see the difference between marauding armies and what is going on right now.

Unknown said...

People, I think the time for words is already gone.

It's now time to take up arms. I'm serious. I think revolution is now our only chance.

TGM said...

Girls in Europe should carry a can of oven cleaner spray. In the US, we have Easy Off Oven Cleaner. It is THE BEST defense against rape. A small can in your coat pocket and one spray in a rapist eyes/face will melt his face off. You can buy similar brands and small cans all over Europe. Just do it for your sisters.