A union-led protest at the Clarebout Potatoes factory in Nieuwkerke, West Flanders, turned tense on Wednesday with reported clashes due to intimidation from bailiffs.
Dario Gouwy, a representative of the socialist ABVV Horval union said that union members had planned a peaceful protest outside the factory and headquarters of Clarebout Potatoes.
Workers at all company sites have been on strike since Thursday, demanding a bonus following the multi-billion sale of the frozen fries producer.
The protest was halted after barely 30 metres, when a bailiff during the demonstration began intimidating striking workers.
Peaceful strike action of the personnel of the Clarebout Potatoes potato processing plant in Comines-Warneton, on Tuesday 07 October 2025. Credit: Belga / Kurt Desplenter
Demonstrators then moved to the factory entrance, where tensions escalated, according to Gouwy. Protesters shouted at employees who had chosen to continue working.
The bailiff intervened again, and police were present at the scene, though no arrests were made.
The union representative criticised the actions of the bailiff, calling them "disproportionate".
The strike disrupted operations across Clarebout’s sites in Nieuwkerke, Warneton, Mouscron, and Dunkirk on Wednesday. Around 3,000 people are employed at these locations.
Clarebout Potatoes is a global player in the production of private-label frozen chips.
