Thousands of demonstrators clashed with police in central Brussels on Wednesday after anger over planned education cuts boiled over into street violence. According to reports from the scene, at least 1,000 people gathered near Brussels Central Station, with some masked participants hurling fireworks, setting fires in the road, and smashing property. Riot police used water cannons to disperse the crowds, and public transport services were suspended through the affected area.

The €300 million trigger: why education became a battlefield

The protest was directed at the government of Belgium's French-speaking Community, which has announced plans to cut spending on its education system by €300 million over the coming years. As the source report details, the austerity package would force secondary school teachers to teach an additional two hours each week without extra pay, overhaul the system of permanent appointments, raise university and college enrolment fees, and reduce investment in renovating older school buildings. These measures have drawn sharp criticism from teacher unions and student groups, who say the cuts will worsen already strained classroom conditions and deepen inequality between French- and Dutch-speaking regions.

The Brussels unrest is the most visible eruption of a broader struggle over public spending in Belgium, where regional governments have been under pressure to reduce deficits. The education cuts mirror austerity moves seen in other European countries in recent years — such as the 2023 university funding protests in the Netherlands — and suggest that the political fault line over public-sector belt-tightening is far from settled.

Two extra hours, no extra pay: the flashpoints inside the plan

Beyond the headline figures, two specific elements of the government's proposal have generated particularly fierce opposition. the first is the mandatory two-hour weekly increase in teaching time without compensation — a move that unions say amounts to a pay cut in real terms and could accelerate teacher shortages. the second is the overhaul of the permanent appointment system , which critics argue will erode job security for younger educators. according to the source report, opponents also accuse the government of pushing the legislation through parliament using a fast-track procedure, claiming the process is undemocratic for bypassing normal debate and consultation.

Water cannons, bicycle racks on fire — the scene in central Brussels

Video footage from the demonstration shows thick smoke billowing through streets near Brussels Central Station as fires burned in the middle of roads. Authorities confirmed that protesters set fire to bicycle racks and other street furniture before launching fireworks during clashes with police. Riot police deployed water cannons to try to regain control, and the city's public transport system was disrupted, with trains no longer stopping at Park metro station and routes through Koningsstraat suspended. By late afternoon the crowds had begun to disperse, leaving behind damaged property and a heavy police presence, according to the report.

Where does the money go? And will the government budge?

Several key questions remain unanswered.. It is not yet clear whether the protest — the first of this scale against the education cuts — will force the French-speaking Community government to slow down or modify the fast-track legislative process . The source report does not include any official government response to the violence or indicate whether further protests are planned. Additionally, the identity of the breakaway groups responsible for the most destructive acts is unknown — the report notes that the initial crowd of at least 1,000 people was broadly peaceful before some participants turned to violence. Without clarity on these points, it is difficult to assess whether Wednesday's clashes are a one-off explosion or the opening phase of a wider campaign of unrest.