Man who attacked Baudet released from custody, will be prosecuted

The man who hit Thierry Baudet on the head with an umbrella at Ghent University on Thursday evening has been released from custody. He will prosecuted for “intentional assault and battery,” a police spokesperson in the Belgian city told NOS.

Baudet was at the university to give a lecture to a far-right student organization. The police arrested the man immediately after he attacked Baudet and held him in custody until “long after the lecture,” the spokesperson said.

According to the police, the suspect is a Ukrainian in his early 30s who lives in Belgium. He has had no prior contact with the authorities.

In a video of the incident, the man can be heard shouting anti-Russia statements. “No to fascism, no to Putinism,” he shouted at Baudet, who has been known to defend Russia in the investigation into the downing of flight MH17, among other things.

BREAKING: FVD party leader @thierrybaudet has been attacked before his speech at @ugent.#baudet #fvd #gent #thierry #iksteunthierry #fvdnl pic.twitter.com/BEIehan79b

— Forum for Democracy International (@FVD_Intl) October 26, 2023

Baudet gave his lecture after the assault. He said he was doing well under the circumstances and blamed “a huge demonization campaign” for the incident. Various Dutch politicians denounced the violence against him.