Brussels Anti-Austerity March Draws Tens of Thousands as Clashes Erupt on Sidelines

Tens of thousands of people marched in Brussels on Friday against the Belgian government’s planned budget measures. The demonstration, called by the country’s two largest unions, remained largely peaceful until smaller groups clashed with police near railway stations, prompting the use of water cannon and tear gas.

Police estimated attendance at about 30,000. Union organisers put the figure closer to 50,000. The socialist FGTB/ABVV and Christian CSC/ACV unions oppose measures they say would place the burden of deficit reduction on workers, pensioners and low-income households. Student groups joined the march to protest rising education costs and overcrowded classrooms.

Prime Minister Bart De Wever has argued that painful savings are required to avoid a debt and interest-cost spiral. The centre-right government aims to find roughly €10 billion in savings by the end of its term in 2029. Belgium’s public debt and budget deficit are among the higher levels in the euro area.

The main procession moved from the area of Brussels Central Station toward Brussels-Midi. Participants carried placards and, in places, played music. Near the stations a smaller number of people, many dressed in black and wearing masks, threw rocks, bottles, bricks and fireworks at police. Several fires were set, including on buses, rental bicycles and electric scooters. Anti-police graffiti appeared on nearby walls.

Officers responded with tear gas, water cannon and baton charges. A helicopter monitored the area. Police said the individuals responsible for the disorder were not linked to the trade-union march. Initial reports listed 21 detentions, including 13 minors. By Friday evening the total had risen above 100, comprising roughly 30 judicial arrests and 80 administrative detentions. Brussels Mayor Philippe Close confirmed the higher figure.

Union leaders had urged potential troublemakers to stay away. Bert Engelaar, president of the socialist union, wrote that those individuals had nothing to do with the message of the thousands who came to protest. The violence occurred after earlier clashes in Liège, where authorities had banned gatherings and more than 200 people were arrested.

The national strike also affected transport. More than 100 flights were cancelled at Brussels Airport. Rubbish collection in the capital was disrupted. A separate public-sector walkout was planned for the following Monday.

Belgium, like France and Italy, faces persistent fiscal pressure. De Wever’s coalition has identified wage indexation, VAT rates and working-time rules among the areas under discussion. Unions argue that wealthier households should contribute a larger share of any adjustment. The Friday march was the most visible expression of that disagreement so far.

Police maintained a heavy presence around the stations and checked groups of young people not wearing union colours. The distinction between the organised demonstration and the subsequent clashes was repeated in official statements. No comprehensive casualty figures for the Brussels incidents were released, though property damage and fires were documented.

The events follow a week of student-led unrest in Liège that included vandalism of shops and injuries to police officers. Authorities in the capital prepared for the possibility that similar tactics would appear in Brussels. The relatively contained nature of the Friday clashes, compared with the scale of the main march, was noted by several observers.

Organisers said the demonstration would continue in other forms if the government proceeded with the contested measures. The €10 billion savings target remains the central political benchmark. Negotiations inside the coalition are expected to intensify in the coming weeks as the 2027 budget takes shape.

Friday’s turnout indicates sustained opposition to the austerity package among organised labour and parts of the student population. The accompanying disorder, while limited in duration, produced arrests and visible damage in the city centre. Belgian authorities now face the dual task of managing fiscal consolidation and containing street-level responses to the proposed cuts.

The two unions have coordinated previous actions but described Friday’s mobilisation as one of the larger recent national efforts. Participation from both Dutch-speaking and French-speaking regions was reported. Student contingents travelled from Liège and other cities specifically for the Brussels event.

De Wever has framed the savings as necessary to protect future generations from higher interest costs. Union representatives counter that the current proposals reduce purchasing power at a time when living costs remain elevated. The gap between those positions was on display in the streets of the capital.

Cleanup crews worked through Friday evening and into Saturday to remove debris and extinguish remaining fires. Traffic disruptions eased once the main procession ended. The higher detention numbers reflected both on-site arrests and later identifications from video footage.

The episode adds Brussels to a list of European capitals that have seen large anti-austerity mobilisations in 2026. Similar debates over deficit reduction are underway in France and Italy. In Belgium the combination of union organisation and student participation produced one of the more substantial street responses to date.

Further actions are scheduled. The public-sector strike planned for Monday will test whether the momentum from Friday carries into workplace disruptions. Government spokespersons have not indicated any immediate revision of the savings target in response to the demonstration.