Police Warn of Deadly Risks After Ghent Bridge Jump
A young man stripped off his clothes and jumped from the Sint-Michielsbrug (St. Michael’s Bridge) into the Leie river at the Polé Polé festival area on Saturday evening, prompting an immediate police response and fresh warnings about the life-threatening dangers of swimming in Ghent’s waterways. The Navigation Police filed an official report against the man, who escaped without physical injuries despite water levels as shallow as 1.5 metres in some places.
The incident occurred at approximately 20:45 on July 25, during the final weekend of the 183rd Ghent Festivities, one of Europe’s largest public festivals. According to Het Laatste Nieuws, the man undressed before leaping several metres from the bridge into the water. Police were on scene immediately and issued a formal reprimand alongside the legal report.
Hidden Dangers Beneath the Surface
Police spokesperson Matto Langeraert warned that the risks extend far beyond cold shock or the shallowness of the water. “Not only for the cold shock, but also because there can be debris under the water surface. That has gone wrong in the past,” Langeraert told HLN. “The fire brigade had to free a victim whose leg was impaled on an iron rod. They had to saw through that rod.”
Swimming is permanently forbidden in Ghent’s inland waters, and the city had previously issued warnings about blue-green algae, which can cause skin and eye irritation, headaches, and gastric issues.
Second Incident in Two Days
The Saturday jump was not an isolated event. Just one day earlier, on Friday July 24, a drunk man jumped into the Leie at the same location and swam under the Polé Polé stage. According to HLN’s report on that incident, police pulled him from the water and took him into custody. Police confirmed the man was intoxicated at the time.
Broader Safety Concerns at the 2026 Edition
The water-related incidents come amid a broader surge in safety incidents at this year’s festivities. A mid-festival report from VRT NWS revealed that the first five days recorded 47 fights — a 31% increase from 36 in the same period in 2025 — and 36 reports of transgressive behaviour, up from just 11 the previous year, a staggering 227% increase.
Most incidents were concentrated on and around the Sint-Michielsbrug itself, near the Korenmarkt and Veldstraat. In response, police installed an extra camera on the bridge mid-festival, adding to the existing network of over 40 surveillance cameras across the city. The report noted that the additional camera provides a view of the McDonald’s near the bridge, where altercations frequently occur.
Political and Enforcement Dimensions
Festival Mayor Joris Vandenbroucke acknowledged the rising concerns while defending the city’s approach. “There have indeed been more reports, and every incident is one too many,” he said. “That’s why it’s good that we have a reporting point. In that way, as the city of Ghent, we are a pioneer in tackling insecurity.”
Opposition parties N-VA and Vlaams Belang have criticised the city government, accusing the mayor’s office of initially downplaying the violence as a “perception problem.” The festival introduced a mobile reporting point for transgressive behaviour for the first time this year, operating during weekend nights.
A Troubling History
The 2026 bridge jumps echo a dangerous pattern at this exact location. In previous editions of the Ghent Festivities, a person was impaled on a submerged iron rod under the water surface, requiring the fire brigade to saw through the rod to free the victim. As VRT NWS reported in June, the city had already deployed seven extra cameras for the 2026 festivities in response to growing safety demands, bringing the total surveillance network to over 40 cameras citywide.
What’s Next
As the Ghent Festivities draw to a close on July 26, questions remain about whether current enforcement measures are sufficient. Despite permanent swimming bans, repeated public warnings, and the filing of official police reports, individuals continue to engage in high-risk behaviour at the Sint-Michielsbrug. A full evaluation of the festival’s safety measures, including the new mobile reporting point for transgressive behaviour, is expected in the coming weeks.