Groen Chairman Horch Arrest Sparks Antwerp Political Crisis

The arrest of Groen party chairman Aimen Horch during a pro-Palestinian protest in Antwerp has ignited a political firestorm, deepening existing fractures in the city’s ruling coalition and triggering accusations of political repression from the opposition.

Horch, who became leader of the Belgian green party in March 2026, was one of 12 people detained on Monday evening during the weekly demonstration against the Israeli flag hanging at Antwerp City Hall. He was held for approximately five hours before being released in the early hours of Tuesday morning, according to VRT NWS.

Conflicting Accounts of the Arrest

The circumstances of Horch’s arrest have produced sharply divergent narratives. Police spokesperson Kim Bastiaens stated that protesters were on the Kaasrui, an area not permitted for the demonstration, and were being pushed back toward the Groenplaats when Horch resisted. “Horch resisted violently during that operation, which hindered the push-back and consequently created an unsafe situation,” Bastiaens said, as reported by VRT NWS.

Horch rejects this version entirely. Speaking on Radio 1’s “De Ochtend” program Tuesday morning, he called the accusation of uncivil behavior unacceptable. “The mayor decided to deal with activists heavy-handedly in the middle of a peaceful protest,” Horch said, directing his criticism at Antwerp Mayor Els van Doesburg of the N-VA (New Flemish Alliance). He alleged that police treatment improved only after officers realized he was a party chairman and member of the Flemish Parliament.

The mayor’s office responded forcefully. Spokesperson David Cleiren stated: “In Antwerp, the rules apply to everyone, including party chairmen. This is not North Korea.” Cleiren added that the city stands firmly behind the police, who have “in recent months been treated increasingly deplorably and spat upon during these demonstrations.”

Coalition Fractures Over Israeli Flag

The arrest unfolded on the same evening as a city council vote on whether to remove the Israeli flag from city hall — a tradition spanning approximately 80 years that has become a flashpoint amid ongoing Israel-Gaza tensions. The council voted to keep the flag, with N-VA and Vlaams Belang voting against removal, while coalition partner Vooruit sided with the opposition parties Groen, PVDA, and CD&V.

As VRT NWS reported, the vote exposed deep divisions within the N-VA-Vooruit coalition that governs Antwerp. N-VA holds 23 of 55 council seats, while Vooruit has only seven — a dramatic decline from its historical position as the city’s largest party. Political analyst Ivan De Vadder noted that the coalition effectively faces a break in Antwerp.

Groen city council member Meyrem Almaci, who was also present at the protest, called the police the “N-VA’s goon squad” — a remark she later retracted on the program Terzake. Mayor Van Doesburg condemned the statement as “unworthy of a council member.”

Escalating Weekly Protests

Monday’s protest marked the third consecutive week of escalating confrontations. According to VRT NWS, two activists were arrested during the first protest in mid-June, followed by ten arrests on June 22 during which two police officers were injured. The latest protest saw 12 arrests, including Horch and singer Willem Ardui of the band Blackwave.

Political Implications

The arrest of a sitting party chairman has raised the stakes considerably. Horch, a former refugee who arrived in Belgium from Algeria at age six, was elected Groen chairman on March 21 with 51.1 percent of the vote, according to Wikipedia. He has positioned himself as a confrontational leader willing to challenge the N-VA directly.

While analysts suggest the national-level N-VA-Vooruit coalition may not be immediately affected, the Antwerp crisis highlights the fragility of their cooperation across all government levels. The coalition also governs at the Flemish and federal levels, making a breakup in Antwerp politically complicated but not impossible.

What’s Next

With the city council heading into summer recess, the flag issue is expected to return in September. The weekly protests show no signs of abating, and Horch may face legal consequences for the alleged resistance. The question now is whether the N-VA-Vooruit coalition in Antwerp can survive this crisis — or whether the deepening divisions will lead to a fundamental reconfiguration of the city’s political landscape.