A Belgian professional footballer has made shocking allegations. According to his account, he was forcibly taken off a plane in Italy on Christmas Eve and beaten and humiliated by police officers.
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- Stéphane Oméonga was taken off a plane by police on December 25 and is said to have been the victim of violence.
- The Belgian footballer reports being held for several hours without food or water.
- After his release, he learned of a complaint against him, without ever receiving a reason for his arrest.
Stéphane Oméonga appears to have been the victim of police violence. The incident occurred on December 25, when the midfielder wanted to travel from Rome to Tel Aviv. Oméonga shared a video on Instagram (see below) as well as a detailed statement about what happened.
"On December 25, I was the victim of brutal police violence," the Belgian with Congolese roots begins his account. He explains that a flight attendant asked him to leave the plane after boarding because of an alleged problem with his travel documents. "I asked what the problem was and then the police were called," he explains. Oméonga was then pulled from his seat and taken away in handcuffs.
"Outside the plane, out of sight of the witnesses, the police violently threw me to the ground, hit me and one of them pressed his knee against my head," the 28-year-old continues. "Then I was handcuffed in a police vehicle and taken to the airport building like a criminal."
The professional of the Israeli club Ihud Bnei Sachnin claims to have been held in a "gray room" without food or water, where he spent several hours in a state of "complete humiliation".
Police turn the tables
After his release, he was surprised by another accusation. A police officer had filed a complaint against him - for alleged injuries he had inflicted on the officer despite being handcuffed. Oméonga is horrified: "Furthermore, I have still not received any justification for my arrest."
Back in November, the former Belgium U21 international reported racist hostility during a football match. He wants to use the latest events to once again draw attention to the problem of racism.
"As a man and a father, I cannot tolerate any form of discrimination," writes Oméonga. "This arrest is just the visible tip of the iceberg. Many people who look like me can't find work, access housing or participate in the sports they love simply because they are black. We need to be united and raise our voices."
