Man Punches Female Securail Agent at Antwerp Central Station
Disturbing video footage has emerged showing a man punching a female Securail security agent in the face at Antwerp Central Station, an attack that has sparked public outrage and reignited concerns over the safety of railway security personnel in Belgium. The suspect, who was confronted for smoking in a prohibited area, has been placed under arrest by an investigating judge.
The Attack
The incident occurred around midday on Sunday, June 14, 2026, in the Diamond Gallery area of Antwerp Central Station. According to Het Laatste Nieuws, two Securail agents confronted a man who was smoking in a prohibited area. The man became aggressive, punching the female agent in the face and striking her male colleague.
The suspect fled the scene but was apprehended shortly afterward by local Antwerp police. During the arrest, one police inspector was also injured. Sven Lommaert, spokesperson for Antwerp police, confirmed that no railway police (spoorwegpolitie/SPC) were on site at the time, necessitating a call to local police.
Widespread Problem of Aggression
NMBS spokesperson Dimitri Temmerman condemned the attack in the strongest terms. “We strongly condemn all forms of aggression against our personnel,” Temmerman told HLN. He confirmed that the two agents have filed a complaint and are currently at home recovering and unable to work.
The attack highlights a broader crisis. According to Temmerman, NMBS recorded 2,600 reports of aggression against personnel in 2025 — approximately seven cases per day. While most involve verbal abuse, physical violence was present in four out of ten cases.
Official data from parliamentary questions shows that in 2024, 2,102 cases of aggression were recorded against NMBS staff, including 652 cases of minor violence and 292 cases of assault and battery. These incidents led to 312 cases of work incapacity totaling over 47,000 hours. Train conductors (1,092 cases) and Securail agents (744 cases) were the most affected.
Chronic Understaffing of Railway Police
The absence of railway police at Belgium’s busiest station during a Sunday afternoon is a direct consequence of chronic understaffing. In September 2025, Antwerp Mayor Els van Doesburg (N-VA) warned Interior Minister Bernard Quintin (MR) that Antwerp Central Station was becoming an “unsavory place” due to a severe shortage of railway police.
At the time, only one in four railway police positions in Antwerp were filled. Evening and night shifts had not been staffed for a year, meaning no railway police presence after 10 PM. The entire “North Region” — covering Antwerp, Limburg, and part of Flemish Brabant — had only about six inspectors, seven chief inspectors, and two administrative staff, operating at 70 percent below planned capacity.
Escalating Violence and Calls for Action
The attack validates fears expressed by Securail agents themselves. In January 2026, over 100 Securail agents published an open letter warning that violence was escalating, describing being surrounded, spat on, and attacked with heavy objects. They cited technical failures — emergency buttons not activated, radio network failures in tunnels — and frustration with a justice system that often releases perpetrators with only a summons. “The question is not if something will go wrong, but when,” the letter stated.
What’s Next
The suspect has been placed under arrest by the investigating judge, though specific charges have not yet been detailed. The two Securail agents remain at home recovering.
This high-profile incident may accelerate political action on railway police staffing and Securail’s operational powers. Calls for body cameras, expanded legal authority for Securail agents, and a resolution to the railway police staffing crisis have been made at multiple levels of government but remain largely unaddressed. With Interior Minister Quintin having promised concrete measures by November 2025 — measures that have yet to resolve the crisis by June 2026 — pressure is mounting for meaningful action before the next serious incident occurs.