Thousands rally for anti-austerity protest in Brussels amid clashes

Belgian police respond to ‘troublemakers’ on sidelines of main rally with tear gas, water cannon and baton charges.Published On 9 Oct 20269 Oct 2026Clashes have erupted near Brussels Central station on the sidelines of a demonstration organised by the country’s socialist trade union against the federal government’s austerity plans.As thousands of protesters gathered at the station on Friday, a smaller group clashed with the police and threw wooden beams, glass bottles and rubbish bins, The Belgian Times reported.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Northern Ireland’s Sinn Fein faces police probe as protest tensions festerlist 2 of 3New York police push politician to ground during anti-ICE protestlist 3 of 3India’s Cockroach Party says members detained ahead of protestend of listPolice were deployed in large numbers around the stations as officers checked groups of young people not wearing trade union colours.Police said the main trade union rally went ahead peacefully but “groups of troublemakers were responsible for serious incidents before and after the march.”Riot police responded to those protesters with tear gas, water cannon and baton charges. Police said those who “...