Belgian police fire tear gas at protesters

On Saturday, Belgian police responded to protests in Brussels and Liege by firing tear gas and using water cannons to disperse hundreds of demonstrators. The demonstrations were part of ongoing cost-of-living protests, similar to violent rallies seen in neighboring France. High school students have been staging protests against higher university registration fees in recent weeks, though Interior Minister Bernard Quintin attributed the unrest to organized violence.

In Brussels, police used tear gas against youths in the Bourse district who threw bottles and other projectiles, according to an AFP journalist. About 10 arrests were made during the incident. Later, a protest march was authorized by authorities, but water cannons were deployed to disperse groups that threw fireworks and flammable liquids.

Rubbish bins and e-scooters were set on fire, and the Socialist Party office was vandalized during the disturbances. Police also used water cannons to break up smaller groups of demonstrators in the eastern city of Liege, where clashes had occurred ten days earlier.