Riot police use water cannons and tear gas amid mass protests in Brussels against Covid rules

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Belgian police resorted to firing powerful water cannons and using tear gas to control mass demonstrations in Brussels against the EU nation’s Covid-19 restrictions earlier today.

Today’s protest saw up to 50,000 people demonstrating in the capital of the European Union, including many who had travelled from France, Germany and other European countries to take part and voice their anger.

Protesters yelled ‘Liberty!’ as they marched through the streets of Brussels and clashed violently with police, while videos emerged of black-clad protesters attacking a building used by the European Union’s diplomatic service, hurling projectiles at its entrance and smashing windows.

White-helmeted police riot officers later sought to disperse protesters, who ignored instructions broadcast over loudspeakers that the demonstration was finished and that they should leave.

Police water cannons fired powerful jets at protesters, while thick clouds of smoke and snaking trails of tear gas filled the air in the Belgian capital.   

The demonstration called for an end to the country’s tough Covid rules as the nation battles an Omicron ‘tsunami’ which has seen the number of daily infections rise to over 60,000. 

Brussels police said 70 people were detained and three officers and 12 demonstrators required hospital treatment. 

The protests followed demonstrations in other European capitals on Saturday against vaccine passports and other requirements that European governments have imposed as daily infections and hospitalisations have surged.

The sprawling crowd paraded through the Belgian capital in a protest much larger than previous demonstrations – though there have been multiple protests in Brussels in recent months which also saw participants clash with the police.

The most recent protest on January 9 saw groups of demonstrators walk through the Belgian capital holding banners and chanting: ‘Freedom, freedom!’  

Today’s protest was no different, with demonstrators clutching signs slamming Belgium Prime Minister Alexander De Croo and the Covid Safe Pass.

The Covid Safe pass proves that citizens are vaccinated or have tested negative and is required for entry into numerous venues. 

A protest leader broadcasting over a loudspeaker yelled, ‘Come on people! Don’t let them take away your rights!’ as police officers faced off against demonstrators who hurled projectiles and insults. 

The World Wide Demonstration for Freedom and Europeans United for Freedom, organisers of the protest, had called for people to come from other EU states.

This meant there were flags from Poland, the Netherlands and Romania in the crowd. 

Francesca Fanara, who travelled from Lille in France, told AFP: ‘What has been happening since 2020 has allowed people to wake up to corruption.’

And Adolfo Barbosa said: ‘It’s a health dictatorship. It warms the heart to see these people here.’ 

Belgium has seen daily infections surge to over 60,000 in the past week but the milder variant and high rate of vaccine means the country is not under the same strain. 

Prime Minister De Croo said on Friday at a press conference: ‘[The Omicron variant] is true to its reputation. It’s not a wave, but a real tsunami.’ 

But he said: ‘There is good news, Omicron is making people less sick. First of all because more and more Belgians are being vaccinated or have been infected.’

Nearly 77 per cent of Belgium’s population has been fully vaccinated, and 53 per cent have had a booster dose, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. 

Belgium has seen more than 28,700 virus deaths overall.

De Croo announced at the press conference that restaurants and bars could extend their opening hours but nightclubs still remain closed.   

He also said that the country is introducing a coronavirus ‘barometer’ which will come into force next Friday to gauge the seriousness of the pandemic, according to Politico Europe.

The barometer will be colour-coded and allow Belgian authorities to link coronavirus measures and restrictions to hospitalization numbers and ICU capacity.  

Belgium will begin on Code Red which is used when the health system faces a severe threat. Code Red corresponds to 150 new daily hospital admissions and bed occupancy in ICU of more than 500.

There is Code Orange for when the system is under pressure, facing 65-149 hospitalisations and ICU bed occupancy of 300-500.

Then there is Code Yellow for when hospitals face less strain which translates to fewer than 65 daily hospitalisations and bed occupancy in ICU of fewer than 300.  

Mr De Croo said that the barometer will help officials with decision-making but the Consultative Committee decides which code level the country is in and what measures or restrictions the country will face based on it.   

In further developments announced in Belgium on Friday, public venues such as cultural centres can have up to 200 visitors with health passes and sport stadiums can host outdoor events. And from March 1, a booster jab is required for people to retain their valid health pass if they had their second dose more than five months ago. 

The country has reported a steady increase in COVID-19 cases and hospital admissions in January according to Belgium’s health institute.

There have been more than 30,000 daily cases between January 11 and 17 and 255 daily hospitalisations between January 14 and 20.   

Belgium’s latest coronavirus protest comes as some governments seek to ease restrictions despite the fast-spreading Omicron variant causing a surge in infections. 

On Friday, the EU’s health agency said that Omicron had become the dominant variant circulating in the bloc and neighbouring countries.

France has said it will begin a gradual lifting of Covid restrictions from February 2 after authorities said there were ‘encouraging signs’ that the wave of infections due to the Omicron variant was ebbing.