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Brussels mayor claims 100 police officers injured in strike
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The City of Brussels mayor claimed on Friday that 100 law enforcement officers were injured during violent clashes between the police and strikers during a demonstration in the Belgian capital on Thursday.
Speaking to press on Friday, Mayor Yvan Mayeur said property and vehicles were also damaged. According to the Mayor, protesters burned 11 vehicles and severely damaged 62 more.
Police and trade union demonstrators clashed on Thursday during a day-long strike over the economic polices of the new centre-right Belgian government.
Violence erupted late in the afternoon, when police fired tear gas and water cannons at protesters who responded by throwing rocks and pavement stones.
The police made 13 arrests.
According to Yvan Mayeur, a group of those protesting joined the protest in a deliberate attempt to create trouble. He condemned "with utmost vehemence" such protesters, according to a report from the Belga news agency.
Meanwhile, the Mayor of Antwerp, Bart De Wever, has said there is no other option to the policies being pursued by the new government.
Antwerp, Belgium's second largest city, also experienced protests in response to the government's economic plans, including raising the retirement age.
Bart De Wever's N-VA party of Flemish nationalists is a part of the new Belgian coalition government, which was sworn in on Oct. 11.
Speaking on Belgian television, De Wever said "there is no alternative to our policy. We must now continue and create prospects for the people."
Referring to EU countries that have had to introduce austerity measures, such as Greece, he said: "Other countries that preceded us are expected to abide by this difficult phase."
He said countries with a strong trade union representation, such as France, are "infinitely worse off" than Belgium.
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