At least twenty people, mostly minors, have been arrested this Friday for the disturbances recorded in downtown Brussels, after between 30,000 and 50,000 protesters marched through the city without incidents to protest against the cuts applied in recent months and other adjustments planned by the federal government.
"The demonstration has developed calmly. But before and after, significant incidents have been provoked by groups of rioters, especially in the area of Brussels Central Station and in the city center," the police of the European capital reported in a statement.
Authorities estimate that between 30,000 and 50,000 people participated in the march, which began after 10:00 AM at the central station and advanced through several main arteries until it ended at the Midi/Sur station, with no significant incidents occurring during the route.
However, the police detail that, both before and after the demonstration, glass bottles, cobblestones, bricks, and fireworks were thrown at the officers, in addition to several bicycles, scooters, and containers being burned, and a police car and various urban furniture being damaged.
As confirmed by the police themselves, these actions were contained using water cannons and tear gas, and so far, 21 people have been arrested, of which at least 13 are minors, in addition to the seizure of Molotov cocktails, gasoline, a knife, a hammer, and fireworks.
The large police deployment and riot units remained deployed early in the afternoon in downtown Brussels, when the demonstration was already considered concluded, and security forces have insisted on dissociating the peaceful protest from the disturbances recorded in parallel.