Clashes near Central Station as Brussels education protest turns violent
More than a thousand people gathered in Brussels on Thursday to protest against planned austerity measures affecting French-language education. The demonstration quickly turned violent near Brussels Central Station, where protesters set fire to bicycle racks and other objects in the road and let off fireworks.
The authorities closed most exits from Central Station, leaving only one entrance open. The fire brigade placed an engine on standby near the station, though an earlier attempt to intervene in a fire at the Carrefour de l'Europe had been blocked by demonstrators.
Shortly after midday the situation remained extremely tense. Police deployed a helicopter, and a water cannon was brought in to prevent protesters from setting fire to bicycles and rubbish bins for a second time. Riot police were present in large numbers around the station, and the first forceful arrests were made.
Federal police confirmed that incidents were taking place at several locations across the city, causing disruptions at a number of metro stations. Earlier in the morning, a Belga journalist witnessed police action at the Saint-Guido metro station in Anderlecht, where young people had thrown fences onto the tracks and emptied fire extinguishers on the platforms.
According to VRT NWS, around 2,000 people are currently taking part in the demonstration. That figure could increase in the coming hours, as more protesters from other Walloon cities are reportedly on their way to the Belgian capital.
Parliament vote looms over disputed reforms
The protest is part of a broader backlash against sweeping budget cuts by the French Community government. In education alone, 300 million euros must be saved over the coming years. Education accounts for around three-quarters of the community's total budget, making it by far the largest item of expenditure.
Valérie Glatigny, Education minister in Belgium's French Community, has proposed a series of far-reaching reforms to achieve those savings. The plan includes cuts to school supplies, a sharp increase in tuition fees for higher education, and the abolition of permanent appointments in the sector. Teachers in the second and third stages of secondary education would also be required to teach 22 hours a week instead of 20, with no increase in salary.
Parliament is due to vote on the package on Thursday afternoon.
© BELGA PHOTO EMILE WINDAL
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