Authorities in Brussels were forced to employ water cannons and tear gas on Friday after masked rioters confronted officers at the periphery of a large-scale anti-austerity march. The violence marred a demonstration organized by trade unions, which drew between 30,000 and 50,000 participants across Belgium to oppose the government’s planned budget reductions.
In the city’s central tourist district, groups of young, black-clad protesters threw stones and other projectiles at law enforcement while chanting anti-police slogans. According to an AFP reporter, two buses were specifically targeted; after passengers were evacuated, rioters smashed windows and tore out seats. Additionally, youths set fire to trash bins, rental bicycles, and scooters, with firefighters later extinguishing blazes on the damaged vehicles.
Belgian police reported that the tension escalated as several hundred youths gathered near the main demonstration. “The atmosphere gradually became more tense and there were serious disturbances to public order,” police stated in a preliminary update. Approximately 20 arrests were made, with officials noting that most of those detained were minors.
Bert Engelaar, head of the main trade union organizing the march, condemned the actions of the violent minorities. He emphasized on Facebook that the rioters were disconnected from the broader message of the protest. “Those individuals have nothing to do with the message with which thousands of others come out on the streets,” Engelaar wrote, urging demonstrators to stay away from the violence.
The unrest highlights the growing friction over the center-right government’s economic strategy. Prime Minister Bart De Wever’s administration aims to save €10 billion ($11.2 billion) by the end of its term in 2029, driven by Belgium’s significant public debt and persistent budget deficit. While unions have rejected cuts to essential services like healthcare or increases in VAT, they are advocating for higher taxes on top earners.
The Brussels clashes follow a week of instability in Liege, where student protests turned violent. Authorities in Liege subsequently banned public gatherings after more than 200 people were arrested and dozens of police officers were injured during shop vandalism and confrontations.
Smashing public buses and setting rentals on fire crosses the line. That is not protest, it is vandalism.
Arresting mostly minors is concerning. What kind of future interventions are being planned?
Is tear gas really the appropriate response for protesters who are mostly just throwing stones?
Thirty thousand people marching peacefully, yet only a few hundred cause chaos. Disappointing.
It is frustrating to see the union’s message overshadowed by a violent fringe group.