Europe, top headline

'Yellow nightmare' in Brussels

Hosting EU offices, NATO, Brussels faces nightmare due to yellow vests as tensions between Belgian police, protesters mounted

Can Erözden  | 08.12.2018 - Update : 09.12.2018
'Yellow nightmare' in Brussels BRUSSELS, BELGIUM - DECEMBER 08: Security forces stand guard as they take security measures after protesters blocked E-40 highway during yellow vests' (gilets jaunes) protest against rising oil prices and deteriorating economic conditions in Brussels, Belgium on December 08, 2018. ( Mesut Zeyrek - Anadolu Agency )

By Yusuf Hatip

BRUSSELS

Belgian capital Brussels witnessed violent protests on Saturday as the yellow vests hit the street.

Gathering in Brussels' Arts-Loi, the crowd's protests turned violent as at least 1,000 yellow vests damaged traffic signs and signals, waste bins and clashed with police.

In Brussels, tensions between the Belgian police and yellow vests mounted as security forces used water cannons and pepper spray on almost 1,000 protesters in Arts-Loi.

The protesters, who were dissolved into nearby alleys after police's intervention, were chased by the security forces.

Yellow vests -- gathered at Cinquantenaire Park -- in midday wanted to walk towards Schuman Roundabout, where there are EU offices but police blocked them.

A group of protesters, who came from Belgian cities near Brussels, joined the crowd in Arts-Loi and walked towards the European Parliament this time.

The police prevented them from reaching the European Parliament and repelled them by pepper spray and they were forced to return to Arts-Loi.

In Arts-Loi, yellow vests blocked the roads, threw stun grenades, lighted flares and damaged the environment.

In addition, the protesters urged Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel to resign and threw many objects to the police.

Police are making operations in Brussels' various spots as the arrest figure is expected to go up.

Brussels police previously announced that some 100 people had been arrested.

Thousands of yellow vest protesters have been gathering in major French cities including Paris since Nov. 17 to protest French President Emmanuel Macron's controversial fuel tax hikes and the deteriorating economic situation in France but this movement spread to Belgium and Netherlands in a short time.

Fuel prices in France have risen more than 20 percent this year.

Anadolu Agency website contains only a portion of the news stories offered to subscribers in the AA News Broadcasting System (HAS), and in summarized form. Please contact us for subscription options.