Minister Demands Crackdown After Bus Crash and Tram Attack
Flemish Mobility Minister Annick De Ridder (N-VA) has demanded tougher judicial action against public transport violence, declaring in a fiery interview that she would have physically intervened during a brutal tram attack that sent seven people to hospital. Her comments cap one of the most turbulent weeks of her tenure, marked by a devastating school bus crash that killed four people and a violent brawl on a coastal tram that left five De Lijn employees and two police officers hospitalized.
A Week of Tragedy and Violence
The week began with tragedy on the morning of 26 May, when a school minibus carrying seven children with special needs was struck by a passenger train at a level crossing in Buggenhout, East Flanders. According to VRT NWS, the barriers were down and the red lights were flashing at the time of the crash. The train, traveling at 90 km/h, could not stop in time despite the driver activating the emergency brake. Four people died: the 49-year-old driver, a 27-year-old supervisor, and two students aged 12 and 15. Five other students were seriously injured.
Just two days earlier, on 24 May, a ticket inspection on the coastal tram (Kusttram) at the Vosseslag stop in De Haan escalated into a violent brawl. As VRT NWS reported, four young people without valid tickets resisted inspection. Three fled, then returned, and a violent confrontation erupted. Five De Lijn employees — four inspectors and a driver — along with two police officers were taken to hospital. One inspector required surgery for a broken nose.
De Ridder’s Fiery Response
In an interview with Het Laatste Nieuws, De Ridder did not hold back. “Those totally despicable, criminal figures! Don’t come at me with ‘it was hot.’ No, this is about a segment of our youth who are in a very bad state,” she said. “Zero respect, zero upbringing.”
When asked whether she would have intervened, De Ridder responded bluntly: “Oh yes, I fight! I would have intervened anyway. And then it wouldn’t have been seven people going to the hospital, but nine or ten.” She recounted past incidents where she had chased a man through Antwerp after seeing him push a woman under a car and once pulled a suspect from beneath her vehicle during the IS terror attacks.
Calls for Exemplary Punishment
The minister directed sharp criticism at the judiciary, calling on the Bruges prosecutor’s office and court to “set an example.” Her remarks came after three of the four tram attack suspects — aged 18 and 19 — were released under conditions on 29 May. According to VRT NWS, they are banned from West Flanders for three months, subject to a curfew, and must each pay 100 euros per month toward victim compensation. A fourth suspect, a 19-year-old from Brussels, remains in custody.
“The prosecutor’s office and the court in Bruges really need to set an example once,” De Ridder said. “These kinds of cases must be handled more strictly.” She emphasized that her comments were not criticism but “an encouragement” for tougher sentencing.
Bodycams and Safety Measures
De Ridder expressed hope that the federal parliament would approve bodycams for De Lijn and NMBS staff this year, arguing that a recording device could deter potential attackers. “If someone wants to pull a ‘Karate Kid’ move but suddenly a red light starts blinking and everything they do or say is on tape — they’ll think twice,” she said. Currently, 98% of buses and trams already have camera surveillance, and all driver cabins are locked.
Union representative Stefaan Dierickx of ACOD-TBM described the tram attack as unprecedented in his 30-year career at De Lijn. “Seven people to the emergency department — that’s unheard of,” he told VRT NWS. In 2025, De Lijn recorded 303 cases of physical aggression and approximately 1,800 cases of verbal aggression against staff, though unions suggest significant underreporting.
Remembering Buggenhout
De Ridder visited the Buggenhout crash site the day after the tragedy alongside Minister-President Matthias Diependaele, laying flowers without cameras present. “That visit really hit hard,” she said. “An immense tragedy. People who say ‘see you tonight’ at home and never come back.” She declined to discuss policy implications while the investigation is ongoing, though she noted that the budget for special needs education transport has doubled from 70 million to 139 million euros in recent years.
The investigation into why the school bus driver drove through the closed level crossing continues. Autopsy and toxicology tests on the driver have so far yielded no definitive results.
What’s Next
De Ridder’s combative stance reflects the N-VA’s law-and-order approach as the Flemish government navigates public transport safety concerns alongside budget pressures. The federal parliament is expected to vote on bodycam legislation later this year, while the judicial proceedings against the four tram suspects will unfold in the coming months. For De Ridder, the message is clear: impunity on public transport will no longer be tolerated.