Belgian riot police fired tear gas and water cannons and beat protesters with batons in Brussels as tens of thousands rallied against government austerity measures and rising living costs, while a nationwide strike disrupted public transport, air travel, schools and childcare services.
Clashes erupted near Brussels Central railway station on Friday, where dozens of protesters, many of them young and dressed in black with their faces covered, threw rocks and firecrackers at police.
An estimated 30,000 to 50,000 people joined the demonstration organized by Belgium’s trade unions, in a major show of opposition to the government’s budget-tightening plans as it struggles to finalize next year’s budget amid mounting public debt.
Several fires were set, including one involving a pile of city bikes and electric scooters. Riot police used tear gas, water cannons and baton charges to drive protesters from the area.
The nationwide strike disrupted public transport and air travel, while many schools and childcare facilities were also affected. Students joined the protests, inspired in part by demonstrations in neighboring France.
The Belgian walkout is part of a broader wave of protests sweeping Europe, where students in France and Italy have taken to the streets over education funding, while tens of thousands have rallied in Spain over the deepening housing crisis.
The protests in Belgium follow a week of tensions in the city of Liège, where authorities imposed a ban on public gatherings after students clashed with police. More than 200 people were arrested and dozens of police officers were injured.
Belgium, like neighboring France and Italy, is grappling with high public debt as governments seek to rein in spending. Trade unions have mobilized against austerity measures amid rising living costs.
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