Jinnih Beels Explained

Jinnih Beels
Office1:Member of the Chamber of Representatives
Constituency1:Antwerp
Term Start1:9 June 2024
Birth Date:8 October 1976
Birth Place:Calcutta, India
Party:Vooruit
Alma Mater:KU Leuven

Jinnih Beels (born 8 October 1976) is a Belgian politician and member of the Chamber of Representatives.[1] A member of Vooruit, she has represented Antwerp since June 2024.

Early life

Beels was born on 8 October 1976 in Calcutta, India.[1] [2] Her mother was Indian and her father was Flemish.[2] Her mother Amna Khatoon, a Muslim, named Beels after Muhammad Ali Jinnah.[3] Her father worked for a shipping company in Calcutta.[2] [3]

When Beels was three her mother died after being poisoned by someone who was jealous due to her being married to a Westerner and about to move to Belgium.[2] [3] The culprit was known but never prosecuted.[2] Beels was placed in a boarding school by her father who, after encountering difficulties as she had no birth certificate, eventually brought her to Antwerp three years later in June 1983.[2] [3]

Beels was brought up by her father and paternal grandmother in Antwerp and was educated at the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwinstituut Pulhof in Berchem.[2] [4] She studied criminology at KU Leuven from 1996 to 2000.[2] She also studied diversity management at KU Leuven (2010–2011) and intercultural management at Lessius Hogeschool (2011–2012).[2]

Police career

Beels trained to be a Dutch; Flemish: commissaris (police commissioner) at the National School for Officers in Etterbeek from 2000 to 2002.[2] After qualifying, she joined the Federal Police in Brussels in 2002 as a commissioner.[2] Between 2003 and 2016 she held various positions at the in Antwerp: team manager Hoboken (2003–2006), media spokesperson (2006–2008), head of the diversity department (2008–2015) and deputy regional manager of the northern division (20015-2016).[2] The diversity department was sidelined after the right wing New Flemish Alliance took control of Antwerp in 2012.[2] [5] After falling out with police chief Serge Muyters, Beels was transferred to the local police in Mechelen-Willebroek where she was Gemeenschapsgerichte politiezorg (GGPZ) and diversity officer from 2016 to 2017.[2] [6]

In February 2017 an investigation was launched after a racist message, containing a photograph of Beels with the caption Dutch; Flemish: En waarom zou ik je een hand geven? Jou kleur staat me niet aan ("And why should I shake your hand? I don't like your colour"), was shared on WhatsApp by Mechelen police officers, an episode that mayor Bart Somers blamed on a few bad apples.[7] [8] Earlier almost all Moroccan and Turkish origin officers had resigned from the Mechelen police due to racism and bullying.[7] Bert V.L., a 37-year-old chief inspector, was prosecuted for sending the racist message about Beels but was acquitted in May 2018.[9] [10] [11] Prosecutors appealed the verdict but in June 2019 the Court of Appeal in Antwerp upheld the acquittal.[12]

Politics

In October 2017 Beels was chosen as an independent candidate for Samen, an electoral alliance formed by the Socialist Party Different (SP.A) and Groen to contest the 2018 local election in Antwerp.[13] [14] After the alliance broke up Beels aligned with SP.A in January 2018.[15] [16] In June 2018 she started working for the SP.A parliamentary group as a safety advisor.[17] She was elected to the municipal council at the local election.[18] [19] Shortly after the election she joined SP.A.[20] [21] She became schepen (alderman) for education, youth, civic integration and naturalisation in January 2019.[22] [23] In March 2024, after falling out with the local Vooruit branch over its support for Tom Meeuws after he made racist comments, Beels announced that she wouldn't be contesting the 2024 local election and would be moving back to Westerlo where her family live.[24] [25]

Beels contested the 2019 regional election as the SP.A's 33rd placed candidate in Antwerp but was not elected.[26] [27] She was elected to the Chamber of Representatives at the 2024 federal election.[28] [29]

Personal life

Beels is married to a police commissioner and has a son and two step-daughters.[2]

Electoral history

Election! scope=col
Constituencyscope=col colspan="2"Partyscope=colVotesscope=colResult
Elected
Not elected
Elected

Notes and References

  1. Web site: De Kamerleden: Jinnih Beels . . 10 September 2024 . Brussels, Belgium . nl.
  2. Web site: De Munnynck . Barbara . Criminologe Jinnih Beels is klaar voor haar politiek avontuur . . 12 September 2024 . Leuven, Belgium . nl . 19 February 2018.
  3. News: Van Puymbroeck . Rik . Jinnih Beels: "Naïviteit is niet achterlijk" . 12 September 2024 . . 25 December 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201031142311/https://www.demorgen.be/nieuws/jinnih-beels-naiviteit-is-niet-achterlijk~b1b414ad/ . 31 October 2020 . Antwerp, Belgium . nl.
  4. News: Bernaerts . Nina . "Rechtvaardigheid is de rode draad in mijn leven" . 12 September 2024 . . 23 June 2018 . Antwerp, Belgium . nl.
  5. News: Tom . Pardoen . Het jaar van Jinnih Beels: 'De politiek heeft nood aan woelwaters als ik' . 12 September 2024 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20211027101402/https://www.humo.be/nieuws/het-jaar-van-jinnih-beels-de-politiek-heeft-nood-aan-woelwaters-als-ik~b4e9eacd/ . 27 October 2021 . Antwerp, Belgium . nl.
  6. News: Toeloose . An . Jinnih Beels, het wit konijn van "Samen" . 12 September 2024 . . 13 October 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201130173605/https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2017/10/13/jinnih-beels--het-wit-konijn-van-antwerpse-kartellijst--samen-/ . 30 November 2020 . Brussels, Belgium . nl.
  7. News: Ceulemans . Ewoud . Mechels politiecommissaris Jinnih Beels slachtoffer van racisme: "Totaal onaanvaardbaar" . 12 September 2024 . . 24 February 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221126093726/https://www.demorgen.be/nieuws/mechels-politiecommissaris-jinnih-beels-slachtoffer-van-racisme-totaal-onaanvaardbaar~b08d6bf4/ . 26 November 2022 . Antwerp, Belgium . nl.
  8. News: Jinnih Beels: ‘Erg voor familie en collega’s’ . 12 September 2024 . . 25 February 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190607135851/https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20170225_02751005 . 7 June 2019 . Brussels, Belgium . nl.
  9. News: Jinnih Beels was "intens ongelukkig" na overstap van politie Antwerpen naar Mechelen: "Anderhalf jaar lang met lood in de schoenen gaan werken" . 12 September 2024 . . 2 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220809162621/https://www.gva.be/cnt/dmf20220802_92383331 . 9 August 2022 . Antwerp, Belgium . nl . Gazet van Antwerpen.
  10. News: Indeherberge . Liesbeth . Mechelse hoofdinspecteur vrijgesproken voor vermeende racistische uitlatingen tegen Jinnih Beels . 12 September 2024 . . 14 May 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220925103009/https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2018/05/11/mechelse-hoofdinspecteur-krijgt-xxx-maanden-straf-voor-racistisc/ . 25 September 2022 . Brussels, Belgium . nl.
  11. News: Malines: le policier qui a diffusé un montage raciste de Jinnih Beels est acquitté . 12 September 2024 . . . 14 May 2018 . Brussels, Belgium . fr.
  12. News: Ex-politieman die spotprent Jinnih Beels verspreidde vrijgesproken in beroep: 'Misplaatste grap' . 12 September 2024 . . 6 June 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190609002632/http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20190606_04447364 . 9 June 2019 . Brussels, Belgium . nl.
  13. News: Vanmarsenille . Kris . Wouter Van Besien (Groen), Tom Meeuws (sp.a) en onafhankelijke Jinnih Beels: "We hebben geen plan B" . 12 September 2024 . . 14 October 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200804054503/https://www.gva.be/cnt/dmf20171013_03131529/wouter-van-besien-groen-tom-meeuws-sp-a-en-onafhankelijke-jinnih-beels-we-hebben-geen-plan-b . 4 August 2020 . Antwerp, Belgium . nl.
  14. News: Cobbaert . Paul . Antwerps schepen Jinnih Beels (SP.A) is scherp voor voormalige kartelpartner Groen: "Uiteengaan was verstandig" . 12 September 2024 . De Zondag . 24 February 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240225094441/https://www.dezondag.be/actua/jinnihbeels/ . 25 February 2024 . Roeselare, Belgium . nl.
  15. News: Jinnih Beels kiest voor sp.a Antwerpen: "Een hartverscheurende keuze" . 12 September 2024 . . 18 January 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181001142420/https://www.gva.be/cnt/dmf20180118_03306979/jinnih-beels-kiest-voor-sp-a . 1 October 2018 . Antwerp, Belgium . nl.
  16. News: Elections communales 2018: à Anvers, la numéro 2 de l'ex-liste "Samen" figurera comme indépendante sur celle du sp.a . 12 September 2024 . . . 18 January 2018 . Brussels, Belgium . fr.
  17. News: Gyssels . Arnout . Geen partijkaart, wel op loonlijst sp.a: Jinnih Beels aan de slag als adviseur Veiligheid bij Kamerfractie . 12 September 2024 . . 6 June 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240506072327/https://www.gva.be/cnt/dmf20180605_03546779 . 6 May 2024 . Antwerp, Belgium . nl.
  18. Web site: Lokale verkiezingen 2018: Antwerpen (stad) - Verkozen kandidaten . Vlaanderen kiest . . 12 September 2024 . Brussels, Belgium . nl.
  19. News: De Wever is het grootste stemmenkanon, maar zijn coalitiepartners falen . 12 September 2024 . . 14 October 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220528063454/https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20181014_03835538 . 28 May 2022 . Brussels, Belgium . nl.
  20. News: Jinnih Beels heeft nu toch partijkaart van sp.a . 12 September 2024 . . 28 October 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211010084319/https://www.gva.be/cnt/dmf20181028_03886294/ . 10 October 2021 . Antwerp, Belgium . nl.
  21. News: Touriel . Aubry . Être indépendant et tirer une liste de parti, un phénomène typiquement flamand . 12 September 2024 . . 18 January 2019 . Brussels, Belgium . fr.
  22. News: Antwerps schepen Jinnih Beels (SP.A): "Van mij mag het stoppen met dat klimaatspijbelen" . 12 September 2024 . . 24 February 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200812131819/https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20190224_04201252 . 12 August 2020 . Groot-Bijgaarden, Belgium . nl.
  23. News: Nuyts . Joppe . Jinnih Beels analyseert verlies van SP.A: "Te veel naar de portemonnee gesproken, te weinig naar het hart" . 12 September 2024 . . 9 June 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220818130107/https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2019/06/09/jinnih-beels-sp-a-in-de-zevende-dag/ . 18 August 2022 . Brussels, Belgium . nl.
  24. News: El Mabrouk . Farid . "Iek zèn raaazend oep Jinnih": in Antwerpen halen velen opgelucht adem, maar ontslag Beels is ferme domper voor Vooruit . 12 September 2024 . . 29 March 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240329121518/https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20240329_93837011 . 29 March 2024 . Groot-Bijgaarden, Belgium . nl.
  25. News: Jinnih Beels wil terug bij haar gezin "in de mooie Kempen" gaan wonen en komt niet op bij gemeenteraadsverkiezingen . 12 September 2024 . . 31 March 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240410085219/https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20240331_94183623 . 10 April 2024 . Groot-Bijgaarden, Belgium . nl.
  26. Web site: Resultaat Vlaams Parlement 26 mei 2019 - Kieskring Antwerpen . Verkiezingsuitslagen . . 12 September 2024 . Brussels, Belgium . nl.
  27. News: Wouter Van Besien, Jinnih Beels en Dirk Van Mechelen niet verkozen . 12 September 2024 . . 26 May 2019 . Antwerp, Belgium . nl.
  28. Web site: Resultaat Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers 9 juni 2024 - Kieskring Antwerpen . Verkiezingsuitslagen . . 12 September 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240901115152/https://verkiezingsresultaten.belgium.be/nl/election-results/kamer-van-volksvertegenwoordigers/2024/kieskring/250987 . 1 September 2024 . Brussels, Belgium . nl.
  29. News: Gennez op één, wie staat nog in top vijf van voorkeursstemmen? . 12 September 2024 . RTV . 10 June 2024 . Antwerp, Belgium . nl.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Jinnih Beels".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2025, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.