Farmers protest with fires outside European Parliament in Brussels
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Several streets around the European Quarter in Brussels are congested with tractors and trucks, with many emptying hay straight on the street.
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Riot police stand behind barricades erected around the European Parliament building in Brussels as farmers ignite fires to protest on February 1, 2024. (X photo, @brusselssignal)
Farmer protests in Brussels have escalated and European farmers are setting fires in the city center and outside the European Parliament building near Luxembourg Square in demand of measures from European leaders, RIA Novosti reported.
Dozens of farmers gathered in Brussels overnight on Thursday to participate in protests scheduled for the day of the Special European Council session. Tractor drivers entered the city in a coordinated manner from several places, followed by police, and are currently blocking some roadways in Brussels. They include both Belgian farmers and some from neighboring nations planning to stay for longer than a day.
Police are scurrying to extinguish the flames as demonstrators told RIA Novosti they would remain nonviolent and expect a reaction from European leaders during the meeting.
Several streets around the European Quarter in Brussels are congested with tractors and trucks, with many emptying hay on the street. Some protesters have even displayed their merchandise on the street.
Earlier on Thursday, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo stated that EU leaders should put the subject of widespread farmer demonstrations throughout the union on the agenda for consideration at the European Council session, citing the protesters' "partially justified" demands.
Meanwhile, police in Brussels have reported that 1,300 tractors have arrived in the Belgian capital to engage in protests against the EU's agricultural policy, which are taking place alongside the bloc's ongoing European Council meeting.
"Official count Brussels: 1,300 tractors," the police wrote on X.
Angry European farmers besiege politicians locked in EU headquarters in Brussels. Patience seems to be running out. pic.twitter.com/N1W7rUQ1io
— RadioGenoa (@RadioGenoa) February 1, 2024
Apart from Belgium, farmer protests have already disrupted operations in France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, and the Netherlands.
French farmers on Monday staged a total of 40 protests nationwide, as reported by French broadcaster TF1, citing information from the national police's territorial intelligence service.
Farmers' unions had scheduled a "siege" of Paris for Monday, planning to block two major airports, Charles de Gaulle and Orly, along with the Rungis food market on the outskirts of the capital.
On Friday, the French National Federation of Agricultural Unions (FNSEA) reported that more than 72,000 farmers mobilized in mass protests, expressing dissatisfaction with the government's agricultural policies.
Read more: French farmers attack, destroy two Romanian meat trucks
Over 41,000 tractors were part of the large-scale demonstrations that occurred throughout the country. FNSEA President Arnaud Rousseau had earlier warned that the protests would escalate, reaching 85 of the 96 departments in metropolitan France by Friday.
During the demonstrations, French President Emmanuel Macron pushed European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to halt the current round of trade discussions with the South American trade group Mercosur, according to media reports.
However, European Commission Spokesperson Eric Mamer stated on Tuesday that the Commission had not halted discussions with Mercosur and would continue to work toward an agreement that would meet the EU's sustainability goals while also taking into consideration the bloc's agricultural concerns.
