Protesters clash with police in Belgium as demonstrations turn violent across Europe
Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin said on Saturday that the situation was "no longer simply a protest," calling it "pure and simple violence."
Protests against rising cost-of-living issues erupted into chaos in Brussels and Liege, Belgium on Saturday. The demonstrations quickly devolved into violent clashes between protestors and police forces. In Brussels, security personnel resorted to using tear gas and water cannons to disperse crowds throwing bottles and other objects at them.
Liege saw similar confrontations, with demonstrators engaging police in violent altercations. Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin labeled the situation as "pure and simple violence," vowing to employ all necessary measures to quell the unrest and restore order. The unrest mirrored recent student-led protests in France, where high school pupils have been demonstrating against escalating educational expenses.
These demonstrations have escalated into full-blown riots, with journalists reporting instances of assault and looting by demonstrators. In Paris, Euronews journalists were attacked by masked individuals looting a nearby store as they attempted to cover the protests. Despite some marches remaining peaceful, tensions continued to rise as more people joined the demonstration, leading to escalating confrontations between protesters and law enforcement.
Written by urgent.news from Euronews's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
