Police intervene at new Brussels protest against austerity measures French-speaking education
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Following the disturbances that took place on Thursday during the protest against the austerity measures in French-speaking education, the Brussels police were again called upon to intervene at various locations across the capital on Friday afternoon.
Teachers from the French-speaking education sector had called for a strike on Thursday after the parliament of the French-speaking community announced its intention to adopt a programme decree containing significant cuts. Around 3,000 demonstrators, including both teachers and pupils, travelled to Brussels to protest. During the course of the day, this led to disturbances and clashes with the police, who arrested around ten rioters.
The Parliament of the French Community Government however definitively approved the education cuts in the early hours of Friday morning following a 14-hour marathon session. The measures include, among other things, a 10 per cent increase in teaching hours for teachers in upper secondary education without compensation, a stricter sick leave regime for permanent teaching staff, and stricter end-of-career arrangements for teachers.
On social media on Friday, calls were circulating to demonstrate again from around 1.00 pm in the vicinity of the parliament of the French-speaking community, both against the austerity plans and against the police action and the arrests. A Belga journalist was already able to observe in the vicinity of Central Station that the police had detained several young people.
Protests against the austerity plans are also taking place on Friday at the CERIA campus in Anderlecht. Students have taken to the streets there, the local police confirm. The police are present, but reports suggest the protest is proceeding peacefully for the time being.
Police arrests some protesters outside the Brussels-Central Station on Friday 05 June 2026 © BELGA PHOTO HENDRIK DEVRIENDT + © BELGA VIDEO HENDRIK DEVRIENDT
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