A cafe president is on trial for violating Corona, but he refuses to wear a mouth mask in court

Hans B. (51) and about thirty of their sympathizers refused to wear mouth masks, and as a result were not allowed into the courtroom on Friday morning. The case was eventually heard in absentia.

As the face of Belgium for Freedom, Hans B has been resisting Corona’s politics for some time. In the spring of 2021, for example, he once threatened to open Kingsclub, despite the ban. Inspections at the end of November 2021 and the end of January 2022 revealed actual violations, according to the Public Prosecution Service. was b. And his staff systematically refuse to wear a mouth mask. In addition, they have always refused to check the Covid Safe Ticket (CST) for customers.

On Friday morning, the accused went to court with a group of sympathizers. However, in the building’s entrance hall, the group was stopped by the police. After all, they refused to wear a mouth mask, while this is still mandatory while navigating the courtroom. During his trial, B should in principle have taken off his mouth mask. After an hour of discussion with the police, the group finally backed down.

Judgment on April 1

At the end of the session, it was possible to establish that Hans B. was absent. “However, I expected that he would come forward,” Prosecutor Guy Bellio said, referring to the defendant’s struggle against Corona’s actions. Violations against royal decree, such as non-compliance with the mouth mask obligation, are always brought before the Police Court. However, the use of the CST is enshrined in a Flemish edict. In such cases, the criminal court has jurisdiction.

The judge will issue his ruling on April 1. By then, a mouth mask in the courtroom will no longer be mandatory.

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