Student protests escalated in Liège on Tuesday afternoon, with windows smashed, bins and scooters set on fire and police using tear gas to disperse crowds.
A large procession of students set off from Place Saint-Lambert before heading towards several secondary schools across the city.
The demonstrations are part of continuing student opposition to education reforms and budget cuts in Belgium's French-speaking education system.
Helmeted police officers and firefighters intervened to disperse the crowd, with police using tear gas. Traffic in central Liège was heavily disrupted as a result of the protests.
Outside the Athénée Royal Liège 1 secondary school, a group smashed several windows and set a bin on fire. Helmeted police officers and a fire engine were subsequently deployed to the scene.
The procession later split into several groups, which gathered at Liège-Guillemins, Pont de Fragnée and again at Place Saint-Lambert in the early afternoon.
Between Place Saint-Lambert and the Opera, bins and electric scooters were set on fire, while a Quick fast-food restaurant was targeted, according to a Belga journalist at the scene. Numerous firecrackers and fireworks were also set off.
The Galeries Saint-Lambert shopping centre and several other businesses in the area closed their doors as the protests continued.
