Over 2,700 tractors descended on the Brussels-Capital Region as Flemish farmers protested the lack of nitrogen policy, resulting in traffic in and around the capital being completely gridlocked during the Friday evening rush.
With a massive turnout by farmers' organisations Boerenbond, ABS, Groene Kring, Jong ABS and Ferm for Agra Women, the police counted over 2,700 tractors in Brussels blocking the Small Ring road. As farmers parked their vehicles and proceeded to demonstrate on foot, traffic in the area and environs was brought to a halt.
"We need legal certainty: work out solutions that anchor our food production and give the agriculture and horticulture sector a future perspective," said Lode Ceyssens, president of the Farmers' Union.
Credit: The Brussels Times/Orlando Whitehead
The farmers drove to Brussels from all over Flanders in ten columns and under police escort. While the aim was to gather just outside the Small Ring Road at 11:00, quite a few columns were delayed and the convoy only properly started moving into the capital to make its way to the Arts-Loi intersection at 13:00.
Due to the massive turnout, the city centre of Brussels is completely blocked as a lot of farmers left their tractors and continued the march on foot.
Several tunnels were pre-emptively closed around 10:00 on Friday morning: the Reyers Tunnel towards the city centre, the Cinquantenaire Tunnel towards Rue de la Loi and the Annie-Cordy Tunnel towards Midi. As a result, there are heavy disruptions on Boulevard Léopold II.
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Brussels police are asking drivers to avoid the Small Ring Road, as well as the European quarter and the neutral zones around the Federal, Flemish and European Parliaments.
Earlier this week, federal police also warned of traffic disruption on several major traffic axes in Flanders, but serious problems did not occur this morning. Only in East Flanders and West Flanders, traffic jams of more than half an hour were reported.
As the convoy's arrival in Brussels was delayed, the exit of the over 2,700 tractors is also taking place later than planned, resulting in a heavily disrupted evening rush.
Flemish farmers with their tractors gather in Brussels, to protest against proposed new rules to reduce nitrogen emissions. Credit: Belga/Hatim Kaghat
Flemish farmers with their tractors gather in Brussels, to protest against proposed new rules to reduce nitrogen emissions. Credit: Belga/Hatim Kaghat
Credit: The Brussels Times/Orlando Whitehead
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