Brussels, Belgium was in a state of emergency lockdown for days after two suspected terrorists fled into the country after attacking and killing 130 people in Paris, according to the Associated Press.
Salah Abdeslam was one of the named terrorist fugitives that attacked on Nov. 13, and was reportedly seen crossing into Belgium the night following the attacks.
“The borders between each country is super minimal. They don't check your passport, bag or nothing,” said Kevin Schmidt, a student from BYU-Idaho visiting Hawaii who was in France and Belgium days after the attack.
The second fugitive was Mohamed Abrini and an international warrant was issued for him, reported AP. He was reported “armed and dangerous” after being seen with Abdeslam on Nov. 11 on a highway gas station on the road to Paris.
Brussels was at its highest alert after the Prime Minister Charles Michel said there was a “serious and imminent threat” to the city on Nov. 24. The increased security measures shut down the capital on Nov. 21, with schools being cancelled, shops closed, and the subway system stalled, according to AP.
According to the New Yorker, armored vehicles drove through the streets and soldiers patrolled the public spaces and hotels. All of this was conducted because of “precise information about a risk of attack like the one that happened in Paris,” says the New Yorker.
“The streets were empty,” said Michele Remy, a citizen in Brussels. “No subway, no bus, army patrolling. Bars, restaurants, theaters are closed.”
On Nov. 26 schools and businesses began to reopen and the city began to be normal again, despite still being at the highest level threat alert, meaning that officials feared an imminent attack, reported AP. Policemen with armed weapons guarded the schools as children and the Princess Eleonore returned.
“You can see that people are scared because everyone is alert," said Remy. “Everyone is checking everybody out. When someone gets on the bus, all eyes are on him. We pay attention to our surroundings.”
The subway began to run again after four days with half of its stations active, according to AP. During the shutdown, raids were conducted on Nov. 21, designed to prevent attacks similar to what happened in France, according to AP. Sixteen people were caught and detained, but all but one were released the following day. Abdeslam was seen near Anderlect, a neighborhood in Brussels the previous week, according to Remy.
According to witnesses and news sources, the attackers in Paris were not refugees, but citizens from Europe. “They're not only from Syria, or Saudi Arabia,” said Remy. “They're French, Belgian, English. What makes me mad is... people confuse Muslims and those terrorists. They have nothing to do with each other.”
“The sad thing about it all, 80 percent of the [terrorists] grew up in Europe and had EU passports,” said Schmidt. “The reason for attacking is that their predecessors have been treated poorly.”
“I would never have imagined that something like that would happen in Europe,” said Remy about Paris. “Now that it is happening where I am, even if I haven't seen it up close, it takes a whole new dimensions. Nobody's safe.”
Remy said she is also surprised by people's reactions, having heard people yell at Muslims. “There's too much paranoia and fear.”