Brussels officials slam vandalism attacks against city symbol Manneken Pis

Police in the Belgian capital have launched an investigation after a series of vandalism attacks against the city centre's most famous tourist attraction, a statue of a urinating boy.

Belgian public broadcaster RTBF reports on Friday that Manneken Pis was attacked by vandals three times in 24 hours and police are viewing video surveillance footage from a 360-degree camera to try to identify those responsible.

In the first incident, the vandals sabotaged the pipework so that the boy stopped urinating. One of the statue's costumes was also ripped off and thrown in the basin of water below, and a plastic bag placed over the statue's head.

Later in the day, one or more individuals climbed over the security barrier and managed to access the device that regulates the water pressure from Manneken Pis, causing passing tourists to be sprayed.

A third attack the following morning stopped the boy urinating again, RTBF said.

Geoffroy Coomans de Brachene, the Brussels city official in charge of heritage, told the broadcaster: "These three successive acts raise questions. It is incomprehensible and unacceptable that some individuals want to damage a symbol of this city."

According to RTBF, Brussels city hall will file a legal complaint against persons unknown and plans to reinforce security measures around the popular tourist attraction. Endit