Clashes erupted shortly before noon in Brussels outside the European Parliament building, with farmers throwing objects at police forces, who responded with tear gas.

Thousands of farmers have gathered in Brussels to protest against the EU-Mercosur agreement.

According to them, they are concerned about the prospect of South American products entering the EU and about the reform of agricultural subsidies.

The EU-Mercosur agreement will create the world’s largest free trade zone and will help the EU export more goods such as vehicles, machinery, wine, and spirits to Latin America. However, farmers argue that it will also facilitate the entry into Europe of beef, sugar, rice, honey, and soy produced by their counterparts in South America.

The Sudden Blockade

Earlier, shortly before midnight on Wednesday, more than 100 tractors appeared, blocking Rue de la Loi in front of the European Commission and European Council buildings, surprising the authorities.

The mobilization was unexpected, as Belgian media reported that the farmers’ arrival in the Belgian capital was anticipated for Thursday morning. However, shortly after 11:00 p.m. local time, a convoy of over 100 tractors crossed Rue de la Loi, the main road running in front of the Commission and Council buildings.

Traffic on Rue de la Loi was disrupted, with the road essentially split in two, while police carried out extensive countermeasures in an effort to limit the presence of tractors and relieve congestion in the area. According to reports, part of the farmers had Luxembourg Square as a meeting point.

Strong police forces were deployed at the scene, with the assistance of helicopters and water cannons, to prevent further escalation and maintain control around the European institutional buildings.