Belgium: Turks sentenced for wedding procession wild ride
Via nieuwsblad (Dutch):
Six Turks from Ghent lost their cars and got a five year driving ban after going wild during a wedding procession on the highway.
The Turks drove on the E40 from Ghent to Sint-Jans-Molenbeek (Brussels) April of last year.
The Dendermonde magistrate said it was 'incredible'. They raced on the highway at 180 km/h, slaloming between cars, and even drove in the wrong direction on the shoulder, endangering other motorists. In Wetteren they blocked the highway and drove around in circles, leading to a traffic jam from Aalter to Wetteren (~35 km), and serious financial losses.
The traffic police managed to follow the Turkish drivers, but decided not to intercept them in Sint-Jans-Molenbeek since a group of Turks waited for the police and there was a threat of riots.
Three drivers showed up in court, four others failed to appear.
Karim S. said he "didn't have anything to do with the procession." The magistrate sentenced him to a 5 years driving ban and fine of 2,750 euros. His Audi A4 was confiscated, and will be sold by the state in public auction. Gerardi E.H. also claimed he wasn't involved in the procession, but got the same sentence, as did the four others who didn't show up.
The magistrate was more gentle towards Tousjellie Z. who admitted that he 'participated in that stupid wedding procession'. He got a driving ban for six months, and a fine of 2,750 euros. The magistrate let him keep his car since he named the other drivers.
