Atmosphere becomes grim in Wetstraat during demonstration in Brussels: police use water cannon and tear gas | Brussels

Angry farmers marched to the capital in protest for the third time this year on Tuesday. A ‘symbolic action’ has been going on at Wetstraat, near the intersection with Willem de Zwijgerstraat, since 10:30 am.

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The farmers darken the surveillance cameras on Luxemburgplein. They have started by planning a forest in the middle of the square. Farmer Pieter from West Flanders is also present. “The trees are symbolic,” says Pieter. “Europe is taking our land, so now we are coming to take their land. If things continue like this, Flemish agriculture will be over in five years.”

There is also a large straw doll set up on the square. “You can interpret the doll in two different ways. On the one hand, the doll represents Europe coming to plant trees on our agricultural lands,” says Pieter. “On the other hand, the doll symbolizes we, the farmers, who are being held up.”

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In general the demonstration is going smoothly, but in the Wetstraat the atmosphere is starting to change. The damage from the previous protests can still be seen in the burned traffic signs and charred lawns. But even now the atmosphere is becoming increasingly grim. The FJA, a federation of Walloon young farmers, is throwing bombs around. In addition, new fires are lit, straw is sprayed and farmers throw beets. Bicycles and scooters are also thrown from the bridge.

The farmers provoke the police officers by throwing manure and eggs at them. The police used water cannon and tear gas to bring the farmers back under control. The farmers in turn use a manure cannon to combat the police water cannon.

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Traffic is particularly difficult in the area around Wetstraat and on the access roads to Brussels. The Wetstraat itself is closed to traffic and several tunnels are also closed, Brussels Mobility reports. Farmers travel in convoy with tractors to Wetstraat, via Leuvensesteenweg, Waterloosesteenweg and Kroonlaan. This leads to traffic disruption locally. Filter blockages are also set up. Brussels Mobility expects the problems to spread even further. “People are going to look for other ways to get to their destination,” says spokeswoman Inge Paemen.

According to the Flemish Traffic Center, a limited number of tractors had also blocked the E40 towards Brussels near Sterrebeek around 9:30 am. The highway was completely blocked, but the blockade was stopped a little later.

In addition, several tunnels have been closed. This concerns the Tervuren, Cinquantenaire Park and Wet tunnels towards the Center (N3) and the Reyers tunnel coming from the E40, Mobiliteit Brussels reports. It is recommended to avoid the capital by car and use the train and metro.

Anyone who takes the metro should also take into account the fact that some entrances to the Maalbeek and Schuman stations are closed on Tuesday morning, according to the STIB. But the metros are running for the time being. Bus lines 12, 21, 56, 79, 64, 60, 36, 27, 34, 80, 95 and 59, among others, will also be diverted or limited, it said.

Farmer Eveline (38) on the front line in Brussels: “If we protest well, people don’t listen” (+)

Brussels measures damage after angry farmers pass through: “We collect all loose paving stones and broken traffic signs” (+)

“The farmers threw bombs into the store”: Carrefour employee Marius and colleagues have to quickly barricade doors (+)

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