‘Pipigate’: Belgian justice minister slammed over peeing scandal, issues apology

Belgium’s justice minister has landed in hot water after three of his friends who were attending his birthday party were caught on CCTV urinating on an empty police van. Vincent Van Quickenborne, speaking to the parliament about the incident, on Thursday (September 7) said that he was unaware of what happened but did apologise and denied joking about it afterwards.

‘Pipigate’ scandal: Here’s what we know

The incident has since been dubbed the “pipigate” by the media.The hearing in the parliament comes after news outlets showed images from asecurity camera footage of three of Van Quickenborne’s guests peeing against the van of police assigned to protect the minister’s residence.

He also denied laughing about the incident which was also reportedly seen in one of the footage that showed the lawmaker mocking the incident by laughing with someone and pretending to urinate. Van Quickenborne claimed it was just him performing “air guitar”.

“Some say these images show me in the act of mimicking the act of peeing. The person I was accompanying thinks...it is an air guitar solo...I admit I play air guitar some times...It is possible, I honestly do not know,” the Belgian justice minister told the parliament.

During the hearing, he also apologised and said, “I am ashamed that people I invited at my house peed against a police van, not once, but three times. It is disgusting, especially considering why the van is there.”

Van Quickenborne and his family have been granted round-the-clock police protection after a failed attempt to kidnap him last year. The lawmaker also said that he had no access to police video, but played footage of cameras at his house during the parliament hearing.

An investigation into the incident has been launched by the public prosecutor’s office in the city of Kortrijk. Van Quickenborne, of the Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats party, reportedly said that he helped the investigation by asking those involved to come forward.

Incident sparks outrage

Since the incident came to light, opposition politicians and police unions have expressed outrage and slammed Van Quickenborne for apparently not only supposedly mimicking his guestsbut also joking about it at the end of the party for his 50th birthday.

“You have given a whole new dimension to the concept of the Belgian joke,” said opposition party N-VA’s Yngvild Ingels. Meanwhile, the NSPV police union released a scathing statement which said that Van Quickenborne was “unworthy” of being the minister of justice, as per BBC.

(With inputs from agencies)

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