Footage has emerged of a man, said to be a police officer, slapping a woman in the face during International Women's Day march in Brussels, underscoring reports by organisers of heavy-handed acts by police.
Shared with Bruzz, the video shows around a dozen demonstrators arguing with officers in civilian clothing wearing police armbands.
As the camera pans to other protesters, the video shows the moment where a man in all black can be seen slapping a woman across the face, prompting cries from fellow protesters.
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A photo of the moment immediately after the attack shows the woman with a bloodied lip with the caption shared with the video saying that the blow left the woman with broken teeth.
Reports of witness accounts to the incident say that the woman reportedly shoved or hit the officer before he slapped her, a moment which is not visible in the video.
In the video, it is not possible to make out whether the man who hit the female protester is wearing the orange police armband as well, but bystanders wearing the band do not intervene after he hits the woman.
The Brussels-Ixelles police zone did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
Gabriela Galindo
The Brussels Times
