Police and protesters clash in Brussels on Friday during an anti-austerity rally linked to a national strike. Separate large demonstrations take place in the city, with unions and students marching against planned government budget cuts and measures that protesters say contribute to higher living costs.
During the disruption, a smaller group of masked protesters dressed in black throws rocks and other objects at police. Reports describe anti-police slogans as the incidents occur, with officers and demonstrators clashing in the streets. While the larger marches draw tens of thousands of participants, outlets focus on different aspects of the same day’s events: the broader anti-budget-cut protests and the separate disruption caused by the masked group.
Across the sources, the common elements are the presence of large anti-austerity crowds in Brussels, police facing disruption during parts of the demonstrations, and allegations by protesters’ side about government-tightening measures. The reports do not agree in detail on the scale of injuries or arrests, but all describe clashes occurring amid the wider protests.
