900 Tractors Block Brussels in Protest

Around 900 tractors blocked Brussels, especially the European Quarter, as farmers protest for fair income, challenging EU free trade policies. Police deployed water cannons against the protestors, who vow to continue their pressure.

900 Tractors Block Brussels / Police Use Water Cannons / Several Routes to City Center Blocked by Police / "We Will Not Calm Down"

Approximately 900 tractors are present in Brussels, concentrated in the European Quarter, according to an official count conducted by the police in the Brussels-Capital/Ixelles area on Monday around 11:00 AM, reports 7sur7.be.

The tractors, continuing their movement towards the capital of Belgium, formed a long procession, blocking several highways.

"We have returned to reiterate our number one demand, which is to guarantee farmers a decent income. To achieve this, we have no choice but to move away from free trade policies and market regulation," emphasized Timothée Petel, a political officer of a farmers' federation, Fugea.

The farmers' federation says it expects "firm actions on these issues" from the European Commission and considers its recent decisions to be "largely insufficient."

"The Commission proposes to put certain environmental norms on hold (which we did not ask for) and to simplify administrative procedures. It's true that this is necessary for farmers, but it does not address our priority, which is the establishment of fair prices," insisted Timothée Petel.

After a month and a half of mobilization, the state of mobilization among farmers continues.

"Farmers are increasingly angry, precisely because we see no concrete action regarding our income-related demands. As long as firm measures are not taken, especially regarding the stopping of the EU-Mercosur agreement, we will not calm down and will continue to maintain pressure," concluded Timothée Petel.

This morning, farmers managed to force a police blockade in Brussels at the intersection of Avenue d’Auderghem and Rue Belliard, using their tractors. Police sent emergency reinforcements while law enforcement officers were attacked with manure, forcing them to retreat further.

Police deployed water cannons to extinguish the flames lit on a Brussels street by the protesting farmers. The farmers tried to keep the fire, made of tractor tires and straw, burning in front of the police vehicles equipped with water cannons.

As hundreds of tractors continued to pour into the streets of the European district Monday morning (police counted over 300 tractors around 8:30 AM), the sky turned black with smoke.

To express their anger, the farmers insisted on lighting this large fire, made of straw and tires, while the police desperately attempted to extinguish it with water cannons.