Brussels Protest Turns Violent Over Education Budget Cuts

More than 1,000 protesters gathered at Brussels-Central station on Thursday, setting fires and clashing with police in one of the most intense demonstrations yet against sweeping budget cuts in Francophone education. Police deployed tear gas and a water cannon to disperse the crowd as the protest escalated, with multiple arrests reported by HLN.

Context: The Décret-Programme

The protest marks the culmination of months of escalating tensions over the décret-programme, a budget decree proposed by the MR-Les Engagés majority government of the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles (FWB). The decree aims to address a projected deficit of €1.2 billion by 2029 through a series of controversial measures that opponents say will fundamentally damage public education.

Key measures in the decree include a 10% increase in teaching hours for upper secondary teachers without salary compensation, a rise in tuition fees from €835 to €1,194 for 58% of students, less generous sick leave for statutory teachers, tightened end-of-career provisions, and cuts to budgets for school supplies and free meals, as reported by RTBF.

Key Developments

Violence at Brussels-Central

What began as a gathering of teachers and students outside the central station quickly turned volatile. Protesters set fire to shared bicycles, traffic signs, e-scooters, and bike racks in the middle of the roadway. Fireworks were also set off as the atmosphere grew increasingly tense.

Police spokesperson Linda Camarero-Verde of the Brussels-Capital-Ixelles Police Zone described the scene: “Our services intervened in the morning at Brussels-Central following e-scooters that were set on fire by demonstrators. On site, several demonstrators were driven back using special means. The use of tear gas was necessary to disperse them. The emergency services that came to extinguish the fire were pelted with projectiles. We therefore used the water cannon to bring the fire under control.”

Metro Disruptions and City-Wide Impact

The protest caused significant disruptions across Brussels’ public transport network. STIB reported that Metro station “Park” (Parc) was closed, as its only entrance and exit are located in the neutral zone that was sealed off. All lines passing through the Koningsstraat (Rue Royale) were interrupted or diverted. The demonstration was heading toward the Rue de la Loi (Wetstraat), where police had cordoned off the area.

Protests in Namur

In Namur, seven youths were arrested following incidents that included broken windows and projectiles thrown. Police and city officials stressed that the majority of young protesters were peaceful and that the violence was caused by small groups of agitators.

Union and Opposition Reactions

Union leaders expressed unprecedented levels of anger. Luc Toussaint of CGSP-Enseignement told RTBF: “In my career as a unionist, I have never seen this. Trains packed full are leaving from Liège, Namur, and Charleroi. We know why the government wants to hold this vote in a rushed manner. But we can expect more actions next week and until the end of the school year. This is not going to calm down. On the contrary, the anger is only growing.”

Adrien Rosman of SETCa-SEL added: “The government thinks it can extinguish a fever by accelerating, but the message is deplorable for the school community. There is a deep malaise that has been taking root for months. The government does not want to hear the anger.”

Opposition parties have also condemned the government’s approach. Bénédicte Linard, Ecolo party leader in the FWB Parliament, called the accelerated procedure “a denial of democracy.”

Government Position

Minister-President Elisabeth Degryse and Education Minister Valérie Glatigny held a press conference at midday to “clarify the budgetary context and accompanying measures.” The government argues that all sectors must contribute to fiscal stabilization and that the measures are accompanied by support mechanisms, including a phased implementation of school supply freebies and adjustments to the teaching load for beginning and senior teachers. The government’s official press release outlines these accompanying measures.

Analysis and Implications

This protest represents the most violent escalation in a months-long conflict between the FWB government and the education sector. The décret-programme is one of the most contentious pieces of legislation in recent FWB history, touching on core issues of education funding, teacher working conditions, and student access.

The government frames the measures as necessary fiscal discipline. Unions and opposition describe them as an unprecedented attack on public education, implemented through an undemocratic fast-track process. The violent turn of Thursday’s protest — with fires, projectiles, and police using crowd-control measures — highlights the deep frustration and potential for further unrest.

What’s Next

The plenary session of the FWB Parliament was scheduled to open at 14:00 to vote on the décret-programme. Unions have warned of further actions in the coming weeks and through the end of the school year. With teacher anger showing no signs of abating, the question remains whether the government’s accompanying measures will be enough to de-escalate the crisis, or whether the conflict will deepen further.

The previous protests — 10,000 in Brussels on 10 February, 6,000 in Mons on 29 March, and 15,000 in Liège on 5 May — were the largest teacher mobilizations in Francophone Belgium since 2011. Thursday’s events suggest that the movement is not losing momentum.