Antwerp Riots After ISAE Charity Event: 7 Arrested
Seven people — six of them minors — were arrested in Antwerp late Saturday after a charity event organized by controversial Dutch-Moroccan-Belgian YouTuber ISAE spiraled into riots involving approximately 300 youths. Police deployed multiple units and mediation teams to restore order after rioters pelted buildings and officers with eggs, stones, fireworks, and electric scooters, according to VRT NWS. No injuries were reported.
How the Unrest Unfolded
The trouble began around 8:30 PM on Saturday, May 16, when police received reports of a large group gathering at Operaplein in central Antwerp. The crowd had been drawn by a charity event organized by ISAE — real name Yasser Ghermaoui, 28 — who was hosting a fundraising dinner at the Foodplug restaurant in Pothoekstraat to raise money for a young cancer patient.
“We received a report around 8:30 PM about a large group of people gathering at Operaplein,” police spokesperson Kim Bastiaens told Belga news agency, as reported by De Morgen. “The occasion was the visit of someone who wanted to organize an action for someone with an illness.”
Within a short time, the group swelled to roughly 300 people and moved to the Pothoekstraat area. “For a still unknown reason, riots broke out,” Bastiaens said. “Rioters threw eggs, scooters, stones, and fireworks at buildings and the police.” Additional crowds were drawn to the spectacle, prompting police to deploy both regular units and specialized mediation teams.
By around 11:30 PM, only small groups remained. Police confirmed seven administrative arrests — six minors and one adult — by 12:30 AM. Calm was fully restored by approximately 1:00 AM on Sunday, though police continued patrols through the night.
ISAE’s Response
During the unrest, ISAE attempted to calm his followers via Instagram Live. “Antwerp, please behave yourselves. Then I can stay long,” he pleaded. After leaving the city early, he posted again: “Too bad it went like this today. Later you’ll realize it’s really outrageous that I’m running a restaurant for a boy with cancer and you’re ruining it.”
Who Is ISAE?
Yasser Ghermaoui, known online as ISAE, is a 28-year-old social media influencer of Moroccan-Dutch-Belgian background who began creating content around 2016-2020. He has approximately 227,000 YouTube subscribers and over 360,000 followers across all platforms, with his livestreams reportedly attracting between 50,000 and 80,000 viewers. His content — primarily vlogs, pranks, and livestreams — is especially popular among teenagers in the Netherlands and Flanders.
ISAE is also a controversial figure. He is currently under investigation for alleged insurance fraud, accused of having his own Mercedes AMG GT 53 set on fire by two Antwerp residents in an underground parking garage in Hasselt in November 2024. The fire caused extensive damage, forcing 19 residents to evacuate and leaving the building temporarily uninhabitable, as VRT NWS previously reported. ISAE was held in pretrial detention for several months before being released in March 2026 pending trial. He denies all allegations.
In May 2026, ISAE has been touring Belgian cities to meet fans, having previously visited Mechelen, Hasselt, and Leuven before the Antwerp event.
Political Reactions
The riots were swiftly seized upon by political figures. Tom Van Grieken, leader of the far-right Flemish nationalist party Vlaams Belang, posted on X (formerly Twitter) early Sunday morning: “Footage from last night in and around Pothoekstraat in 2060 Antwerp. Foreign scum riot and also destroy a business. Truly every opportunity is seized to destroy. We must clean up our cities, but that can only be done with Vlaams Belang!”
The Dagelijkse Standaard, a right-libertarian news outlet, prominently featured Van Grieken’s comments, framing the incident within broader debates about immigration and public order in Belgian cities.
What’s Next
Authorities have not disclosed what specifically triggered the escalation to violence, and investigations are ongoing. Questions remain about whether ISAE could face any legal liability as the event organizer, and whether the incident will affect his planned tour of other Belgian cities. Antwerp, which has a history of youth-related unrest, may face renewed scrutiny over its approach to managing large public gatherings organized by social media influencers.
The political fallout is also likely to continue, with Vlaams Belang expected to use the incident in upcoming election campaigns as Belgium’s ongoing debate over immigration, integration, and urban public order intensifies.