Belgium: 9 minors arrested as clashes erupt near Brussels-Midi

Belgian police arrested ten people, including nine minors, after clashes involving hundreds of young people near Brussels-Midi railway station on Monday, 12 October. Officers reported being targeted with stones and fireworks as unrest broke out on the sidelines of a national strike and a student gathering.

Police deployed tear gas and water cannon as groups moved between the station, Place Bara and the Cureghem neighbourhood, occasionally dispersing into Anderlecht and Saint-Gilles before returning. The Clemenceau metro station was temporarily closed, while a car, several scooters and street furniture were set alight. Officers also seized fireworks, flammable liquids and aerosol cans.

The violence came amid growing protests against austerity measures, rising living costs and education cuts. Since 1 October, secondary-school pupils have been demonstrating against plans to save €500 million from French-speaking education by 2029. Trade unions are also opposing Prime Minister Bart De Wever's proposed €10 billion savings programme.

In Liège, more than 200 arrests have been reported since the student protests began. A separate anti-austerity march in Brussels drew around 30,000 people on Friday, according to police, and was also followed by clashes.