The European producers reject the EU-Mercosur free trade agreement.

On Friday, the Brussels-Capital/Ixelles police said 13 people were arrested during farmer protests that took place in the European Quarter, mainly in Luxembourg Square in front of the European Parliament.

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On Thursday, over 7,300 people and some 400 tractors gathered at the North Station to protest against the free trade agreement between the European Union (EU) and the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) as well as against proposed cuts to the funding of the Common Agricultural Policy in the initial draft of the next European Union budget.

Police authorities separated the official demonstration carried out at the North Station from the unrest that broke out in the European Quarter and stressed that those responsible for the violent incidents gathered there spontaneously.

In total, six administrative arrests and seven judicial arrests were made after the demonstration. Four police officers were also injured in incidents that occurred outside the framework of the official protest.

In addition, during clashes between police and protesters, a man required medical treatment for a serious head injury, although it is unknown whether he was a demonstrator or a journalist.

Authorities counted 950 tractors in the European Quarter, where potatoes, beets, cobblestones and chains were thrown at several buildings, while fireworks were also set off.

As the disturbances, which began around 2 p.m. local time, escalated, police intervened repeatedly against protesters — including the use of water cannons and tear gas — to disperse the crowd and prevent tractors from breaking through barriers and entering the security perimeter established for the European summit held throughout Thursday.

Security forces reported extensive property damage, including a dozen destroyed gas masks, dozens of damaged uniforms, shields and helmets, a police vehicle damaged after being struck by a tractor, and several “Frisian horses” — mobile barriers used to secure the area around the European Parliament — destroyed after being run over by tractors.

Regarding damage to public spaces, police reported several traffic signs damaged or knocked down, broken windows — especially near Parliament — and road surfaces damaged by fires, including the burning of dozens of tires in Luxembourg Square.

Cleanup crews from the regional sanitation agency Bruxelles-Proprete, who worked until 11 p.m. to remove debris, estimated that 50 metric tons of waste were left behind after the farmers’ protest. Some residents were also reported collecting potatoes left on the ground in bags to take them home.

teleSUR/ JF

Source: EFE

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