Falzone Trial Paused for Erotic Salon as Petition Swells
The trial of Paolo Falzone — the deadliest road tragedy in modern Belgian history — is set to be interrupted from 4 to 8 June 2026 to accommodate the Erotix erotic salon at the Lotto Mons Expo venue, a scheduling conflict that has ignited public outrage and drawn over 5,000 signatures to a petition supporting victims.
The Strépy-Bracquegnies Tragedy
On 20 March 2022, at approximately 5:00 AM, Paolo Falzone drove his BMW at over 170 km/h into a folk parade on Rue des Canadiens in Strépy-Bracquegnies, a village in the municipality of La Louvière, Wallonia. The vehicle struck a group of carnival participants known as “Gilles” who were conducting the traditional “ramassage” procession. According to The Brussels Times, six people were killed at the scene and a seventh later died from injuries sustained. Dozens more were injured, with 81 named as victims in the attempted murder charges.
Paolo Falzone faces seven counts of murder and 81 counts of attempted murder, carrying a potential sentence of up to 30 years in prison. His passenger, Antonino Falzone — who shares the same surname but is unrelated — faces up to two years for failure to assist persons in danger.
An Unprecedented Trial in an Unconventional Venue
The trial, which opened on 4 May 2026, is being held at the Lotto Mons Expo exhibition hall — a historic relocation driven by necessity. No courthouse in the region could accommodate the approximately 200 civil parties, dozens of lawyers, 269 witnesses, and the press. As La Libre Belgique reported, the venue was transformed into a giant courtroom with security portals and rows of seating for the hundreds of participants.
The Erotix Salon Conflict
However, Mons Expo had a pre-existing contract with the organizers of the Erotix erotic salon, booked nearly two years before the trial dates were fixed. Hugo Schryers, manager of Mons Expo, stated that the interruption was a “sine qua non” condition for allowing the judicial authorities to rent the venue. The court set-up will not be dismantled — only suspended, with security measures maintained.
According to RTBF, the interruption runs from 4 to 8 June, with the Erotix salon scheduled for 5, 6, and 7 June. The trial, originally expected to last six to eight weeks, has its verdict anticipated around 12 June.
Petition and Public Outrage
Marc Willocq, a resident of Dour not directly involved in the trial, launched an online petition denouncing the “lack of respect” towards victims and their families. The petition gathered over 5,000 signatures in three days, reaching 5,676 by the time of publication.
“The survivors and their loved ones come here to share their tears, their broken bodies, and their shattered lives,” the petition reads. “The judicial organization and the manager of Lotto Mons Expo have chosen to pack up and leave room for stands of leather and accessories. An insult to the memory and dignity of the victims.”
Judicial Response and Victim Perspectives
On the evening of 22 May, the Parquet général (Public Prosecutor’s Office) and the Court of Appeal of Mons issued a joint statement disassociating themselves entirely from the petition. They emphasized that the Erotix salon was planned long in advance and definitively scheduled before the trial dates were fixed, and that the decision was made with the agreement of all parties concerned. The alternative, they stated, would have been to delay the trial by several months.
Interestingly, some victims have expressed understanding of the situation. Florian, a survivor of the tragedy, told RTBF: “Unfortunately, we knew about it from the beginning. We also knew which days we would be able to disconnect and not think about it anymore. We know very well that during the interruption, we’ll be at home, in peace, to catch our breath and be ready for the end of the trial.”
Analysis and Broader Implications
The juxtaposition of a mass murder trial with an erotic trade fair highlights the challenges of conducting large-scale criminal proceedings in Belgium, where court infrastructure may be inadequate for cases involving hundreds of participants. The Belga News Agency noted that the case is being heard before the Assize Court rather than a traffic court because prosecutors argue the collision was intentional, pointing to the vehicle’s speed, the driver’s behaviour before and after the crash, and evidence that Falzone had been drinking and filming himself while driving.
What’s Next
The trial is scheduled to resume on 9 June with rebuttals and final arguments. The jury is expected to enter deliberation on 10 June, with a verdict on guilt anticipated around 12 June. If found guilty, the sentencing phase would begin on 15 June, with the trial expected to conclude in the third week of June. The question remains whether the petition’s momentum will lead to any official review of the scheduling decision, and how the four-day interruption will affect the jury’s continuity of deliberation.