Hundreds of tractors descended onto Brussels again on Monday in a new round of farmer protests – who are reiterating their demand for "fair incomes and prices" in the European agricultural sector.
Kicking off early on Monday morning, protesting farmers brought large parts of the Belgian capital to a standstill, with tensions running high with the police around the European Commission, where the protest was concentrated.
A handful of individuals threw poles and bottles at the riot police, prompting the latter to respond with tear gas. Others arrived with egg boxes under their arms, Belga News Agency reports.
Protesters lit fires with tyres, straw, and street furniture, stirring a thick black smoke. Riot police deployed water cannons in an attempt to extinguish the flames.
Farmers want to keep up the pressure on the European Union. Today's second major farmer mobilisation of 2024 has coincided with the meeting of EU agriculture ministers. The various farming federations believe that the European Commission has not taken enough concrete decisions despite their protest at the beginning of the month.
"The Commission is proposing to put certain environmental rules on hold – which we did not ask for – and to simplify administrative procedures. Admittedly, this is necessary for farmers, but it does not address our priority, which is to set fair prices", Timothée Petel, policy officer at FUGEA (one of the organisers of Monday's mobilisation), told Le Soir.
For farmers to be guaranteed a decent income, the EU must move away from the policies of free trade and market deregulation, Petel stressed. This was also echoed by Tijs Boelens, President of the Boerenforum organisation. "Farmers have taken to the streets to denounce the neoliberal policies that are selling off everything".
Here are some of the most striking photos from Monday's protest in Brussels.
A tractor with what appears to be a Russian flag on the Grande Place in the early hours of Monday. Credit: Belga / Wim Demeulenaere
Tractors pictured in the early morning on rue de la Loi on Monday 26 February 2024. Credit: Belga/ Benoit Doppagne
Tractors and car tires pictured during a protest action of farmers' organisations in Brussels on Monday 26 February. Credit: Belga/ Benoit Doppagne
Credit: Belga / Nicolas Maeterlinck
Protestors face off with police. Credit: Belga / Benoit Doppagne
A woman and dog going about their business next to the tractors. Credit: Belga / Benoit Doppagne
Tractors pictured during a protest action of farmers' organisations FUGEA, Boerenforum and MAP. Credit: Belga / Benoit Doppagne
Farmers burn hay and tires near the European Commission. Credit: Belga / Benoit Doppagne
Tractors pictured in the early morning on Monday 26 February. Credit: Belga/ Benoit Doppagne
Credit: Belga / Nicolas Maeterlinck
Credit: Belga/ Benoit Doppagne
Credit: Belga / Benoit Doppagne
Credit: Belga / Nicolas Maeterlinck
