Violent Protests and Clashes Erupt at Brussels Central Station

Severe violence erupted in the center of the Belgian capital as hundreds of youths stormed the Brussels Central Station, setting fire to electric bicycles, hurling petrol bombs, and attacking police forces at the scene.

Several cars were damaged and one vehicle was torched near the Brussels-Midi railway station, according to the Het Laatste Nieuws newspaper. The Brussels-Capital/Ixelles police zone confirmed the information, stating that calm prevailed in other parts of the capital.

Transport Disruptions and Protests

The Clemenceau metro station was closed, and trains no longer stopped there, according to the STIB public transport company. Disruptions, restrictions, and route changes also affected several bus lines in the city center and around the Midi railway station.

A particularly violent wave of protests has struck Belgium over the past week, with tens of thousands of demonstrators taking to the streets of major cities to protest government plans for severe budget cuts in education and welfare, as well as the rising cost of living.

"What began as an organized national strike and spontaneous student demonstrations rapidly deteriorated into severe clashes and violent outbursts against security forces," local authorities reported.

Clashes and Government Response

Main flashpoints were recorded in the city of Liège and the capital Brussels, where fires were lit in public areas and transport networks were paralyzed. The unrest was largely sparked by French-speaking student protests, drawing direct inspiration from recent protest waves in neighboring France.

During clashes around the central station and government institutions in Brussels, rioters threw bricks, glass bottles, fireworks, street signs, and electric bicycles into street bonfires. Large police forces deployed stun grenades and smoke grenades, making extensive use of water cannons and tear gas to disperse the angry crowd.

Authorities reported the arrest of over a hundred violent demonstrators, including the seizure of unusual weaponry such as a samurai sword from one rioter. In response to the rapid escalation and urban destruction, the government activated the national alert system and urged business owners to close their shops out of fear of looting and ongoing vandalism.