More than 100,000 people took to the streets in yet another general strike to demonstrate against the austerity measures of Bart De Wever’s right-wing government.
Clashes with police broke out in front of the US Embassy when police cut the march in two and then attacked a group of anti-militarist protesters. 49 protesters were arrested.
In just over a year of government led by Bart De Wever, leader of the right-wing Flemish party N-VA (New Flemish Alliance), Belgium has already taken to the streets dozens of times and paralyzed the country several times with general and national strikes.
At the heart of their anger are cuts to public healthcare, the collapse of purchasing power, the unemployment benefit reform, and the pension reform that would raise the retirement age from 65 to 67 by 2030.
