Baudet attack suspect released again but faces criminal charges

The man who hit FvD leader Thierry Baudet on the head with an umbrella at Ghent University last night has been released again. A police spokesman in the Belgian city said he would be prosecuted for “intentional bodily harm”.

Baudet was attacked last night at the entrance of the building where he would be teaching. The perpetrator was immediately arrested. A report was prepared and the man was detained until “long after class,” according to a police spokesman. According to police, the man is in his early 30s, of Ukrainian origin and has a permanent residence in Belgium. It was previously unknown to police.

Baudet’s speech took place shortly after the scheduled start time (8 p.m.). Baudet said on NPO Radio 1’s Along the Line and ambient program last night that he had “a pretty big blow” in his head. “I’ll get this checked.”

You can view the footage of the attack below:

Baudet said on his radio program that there appeared to be “some kind of ambush” at the entrance of the university. “I went up and got distracted on the right side. Then someone from the left side jumped at me with what turned out to be an umbrella.”

A police spokesman did not want to say whether there were other suspects in the picture.

Pro-Russian statements

In the video, after the attack, the perpetrator can be heard shouting “No to fascism, no to Putinism” to Baudet in Ukrainian.

Baudet has regularly made pro-Russian statements in the past, including during the investigation into the downing of Flight MH17. Shortly before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Baudet called Putin “a great man.”

An hour before the lecture started, several dozen people protested Baudet’s arrival in the center of Ghent, not far from the university. According to a journalist from the Flemish broadcaster VRT, they were holding the Ukrainian flag.

Source: NOS