Brussels Unrest: Education Reform Sparks Violent Protests
Police used tear gas as protesters opposed a 35% tuition-fee increase and other cost-cutting measures ahead of a parliamentary vote.
- On Thursday, violent clashes broke out between police and protesters in Brussels as demonstrations against planned education reforms turned chaotic. Police deployed tear gas near the main railway station, leaving the city center strewn with debris from vandalized bicycles and street signs.
- Demonstrators expressed outrage over The French Community's plan to increase annual tuition fees to €1,194 from €835, a 35% hike that educators say will worsen classroom conditions. Teachers also face requirements to work two extra hours weekly without additional pay.
- French Community leader Elisabeth Degryse defended the fee increase, citing a €1.9 billion deficit facing the government. One teacher attending the protest, Marie, warned, "Working conditions will deteriorate, with more people having larger classes."
- Parliament of The French Community is expected to vote on the cost-cutting measures later on Thursday. Protests also spread to French-speaking cities Namur and Charleroi, though demonstrations there remained calmer than the violent Brussels clashes.
- Education Minister Valerie Glatigny stated the aim of these measures is to "free up money to re-invest in the sector." The government argues the fee increases bring charges broadly into line with those in Flemish, Dutch-speaking universities.
15 Articles
15 Articles
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Brussels: Protest Against Education Budget Cuts Turns Violent
A major protest by students and teachers against education reforms to French-language universities in Belgium turned violent on Thursday. Demonstrators numbering over a thousand gathered in the center of the city to oppose austerity measures, including a planned rise in university tuition fees from €835 to around €1,194 and increased teaching hours without extra pay. The government aims to save €300 million in the education sector. The demonstra…
The Brussels Firefighters said they had to interrupt an operation near the Central Station for safety reasons. ...
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