Thousands of people rallied in Brussels on Friday for an anti-austerity protest organized by the country's socialist trade union. While the main demonstration against the federal government's austerity plans proceeded peacefully, clashes erupted on the sidelines near Brussels Central station.
A smaller group of protesters engaged with police, throwing objects such as wooden beams, glass bottles, and rubbish bins. The Belgian Times reported that riot police responded with tear gas, water cannon, and baton charges. Police stated that the main trade union rally was peaceful, but "groups of troublemakers were responsible for serious incidents before and after the march," and that those causing public disorder were not linked to the rally.
Al Jazeera's Rosie Birchard, reporting from Brussels, described an "acrid smell of burning in the air" due to fires set during the protests and the use of tear gas. She noted that damage had been caused and that police and emergency services were working to clear up, but protests flared up again.
Birchard mentioned that some young people, inspired by school protests in France, participated and expressed a desire to discuss their learning environment, feeling that their voices were not being heard.
The clashes followed a tense week in the city of Liege, where authorities banned gatherings after students clashed with police and vandalized shops. Over 200 people were arrested in Liege, and dozens of police officers were injured.
The ABVV trade union and the Christian ACV, Belgium's two largest unions, organized Friday's protests. Protesters marched from Brussels Central station to Brussels South Station under the slogan "stay out of our pockets." Police estimated attendance at around 30,000, while ABVV had anticipated up to 50,000.
The protests are a response to the government's austerity measures, which include potential changes affecting purchasing power, the wage indexation system, value-added tax (VAT), and plans for annualised working time.
Separately, the ACV organized a protest involving hundreds of activists at the headquarters of the governing coalition parties in the capital.
