BELGIUM: Police use excessive force against students and teachers protesting austerity measures
On 4 June, thousands of protesters, primarily students and teachers, gathered in Brussels to protest against planned austerity measures and education reforms, including increasing tuition fees and decreasing working conditions for teachers. The reform was set to be voted on by the parliament of the French-speaking community in Belgium. The protest follows a wave of teachers’ strikes and wider protests against the government’s austerity measures, as well as cancelled classes and exams. The police used excessive force, water cannons, tear gas, and batons against the protesters, many of whom were children. In addition, police officers intimidated and made derogatory, sexist, and racist remarks about the young protesters, while observers reported that some officers were displaying far-right symbols. Teachers were forced to form human chains to protect the students from these police tactics. The authorities made several judicial arrests, including arresting eight minors, alongside administrative arrests.
According to the Belgian human rights organisation Ligue des droits humains, the police’s actions were clearly disproportionate. The organisation also criticised the targeting of minors and the use of the kettling technique by police, noting this method has already been declared illegal in a ruling by a Brussels Court. The violent police responses to the protests against the education reforms sparked further protests against police measures in the capital in the following days.