Thousands of people marched through Brussels on Friday to oppose the Belgian government’s austerity plans and the mounting cost of everyday life. The demonstration was largely peaceful, though clashes broke out between some protesters and police.
At Brussels’ central railway station, several dozen mostly young protesters wearing black clothing and face coverings hurled stones and firecrackers at officers, according to The Associated Press.
Fires were also reported in the area. Images showed one man setting a shared electric scooter on fire.
A man sets a shared electric scooter on fire during a national protest against the Belgian government’s planned budget measures in Brussels, Belgium, on Oct. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)
Riot police used tear gas and water cannons to break up the disorder, sending crowds scattering through the streets and worsening traffic across the Belgian capital.
Police said those involved in the violence were not connected to the main anti-austerity protest, which organizers estimated had attracted about 30,000 people, the AP reported.
Two of Belgium’s biggest labor unions called the nationwide strike, which lasted throughout Friday. Another walkout involving public-sector workers is scheduled for Monday. Union officials condemned the violence and said the people responsible were not part of their demonstration.
Protesters clash with riot police during a national demonstration against government budget cuts and proposed reforms in Brussels, Belgium, on Oct. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)
Wearing the red and green colors associated with their unions, workers and supporters moved through Brussels in largely orderly marches.
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Marie Gobert, a single mother and social worker from Namur, traveled to the capital to join the protest. She told the AP that she is struggling to cover her expenses and “cannot make ends meet.”
She said the growing expense of education, public transportation and train travel was among her biggest concerns.
Thousands of demonstrators take part in a national protest organized by Belgian labor unions in Brussels, Belgium, on Oct. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)
“You can feel the social tension, you can feel anger starting to simmer everywhere,” Gobert said. “The education system is being dismantled, and when young people want to speak out, no one listens to them.”
As part of a wider austerity drive, Belgium’s French Community government increased standard university tuition this academic year by about 43% over the summer, raising it from €835 to €1,194.
A man kicks a tear gas canister back toward police during a protest in Brussels, Belgium, on Oct. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)
The tuition increase has already fueled unrest. In June, protesters clashed with police in Brussels over the higher fees and other problems affecting French-language education, including overcrowded classrooms and limited access to learning materials.
Hundreds of students also demonstrated this week in Liège, in eastern Belgium. Local media reported that 107 students were arrested.
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