Police in Brussels detained more than 100 people on Friday after a trade-union march against government spending cuts was followed by clashes between youths and officers in the Belgian capital. Police put the turnout at about 30,000. They said the main union demonstration stayed peaceful and that the violence took place on its sidelines.
The unions are protesting against the federal government's planned savings package, which they fear will hit workers, pensioners and low-income households. They oppose possible changes to wage indexation, the automatic adjustment of pay to rising prices, as well as VAT and other measures affecting purchasing power. They argue that wealthier people should contribute more. Belgian media report that the government is looking for roughly 10 billion euros to balance its budget, and ministers are due to negotiate the cuts again this weekend. That is why the unions said they wanted to be heard now, even though they had reportedly been warned that their action might be hijacked.
The march began with placards, music and dancing. Later, hundreds to thousands of young people, many dressed in black and wearing masks, joined or gathered nearby. Students had come to protest against education cuts, rising fees and reforms they fear could make university less affordable. Earlier this week, tens of activists in Liège, in eastern Belgium, smashed windows and set bins on fire outside secondary schools during education protests.
Unrest centred on Brussels-Midi (Zuid) railway station and later spread to Brussels-Central. Youths threw stones, fireworks and objects at police and set fire to cars and shared bicycles. Police used water cannon and tear gas, and some demonstrators threw gas canisters back. Extra units with tear-gas launchers were deployed, supported by a helicopter. Calm returned only in the evening. Police first reported 21 detentions, including 13 minors, but the total rose to more than 100, with about 30 judicial arrests and 80 administrative detentions. No confirmed casualty figures were available.
The motives of the young rioters are disputed. Several media link them to the education cuts, but police reportedly say there was no connection to the cuts or to the union action. The unions say the rioting drowned out their message to the government to reconsider the savings. The interior minister has promised a response proportionate to the damage. The mayor of Brussels called the attacks on public services "absolutely outrageous" and wants forceful action and for identified offenders to pay for the damage.
The events matter because they show how tense Belgium's budget debate has become, just as the government enters a decisive weekend of talks.