Calm returns to Liège after protests over police shooting

Calm has returned to Herstal after a weekend of protests in response to the shooting of a young man by police, acting mayor Jean-Louis Lefebvre said on Monday.

Protests broke out in the Liège province town in response to the shooting of a 22-year-old man on a quad bike by a police officer on Friday. The man was shot dead in the municipality of Oupeye, near the city of Liège. 

According to the Liège public prosecutor's office, the victim drove his quad bike into a police officer after the officer ordered him to stop. In response, another officer drew his weapon and fired at the man, hitting him in the head.

Protests soon broke out and spread to nearby Herstal. Police clashed with protesters around the city's La Préalle district on Saturday night. No one was injured, but there was damage to bus shelters and buildings. The Liège fire brigade did not have to intervene.

According to Lefebvre, calm was restored after a heavy police presence deterred protesters. "Together with the police, we had taken preventive measures to avoid further nightly excesses. Patrols carried out checks whenever anything looked suspicious," he said.

^{© BELGA PHOTO LAURENT CAVENATI}