About fifty thousand people demonstrated in Brussels against the anti Covid measures, according to the figure confirmed to the Dpa by a police spokesman. At least 70 arrests, among other things, for damage to property or for the transport of dangerous or illegal objects, while three police officers and 12 demonstrators were injured.
Protesters marched from the Nordbahnhof to the European quarter, where riots broke out. Demonstrators threw objects at police officers and damaged buildings. The police used tear gas and water cannons to ward off those involved. The online videos showed broken windows of the European External Action Service building. According to the police, the demonstration was stopped at 3 pm EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell thanked the Brussels police in a tweet and condemned the “senseless destruction” caused by the demonstration.
Protesters carried flags from different countries such as Germany, France and Poland and many wore no masks.