For the third time in just two months, traffic disruptions are expected across the Brussels-Capital Region as another large farmers' demonstration will take place in the capital on Tuesday 26 March.
The international farmers' organisation Via Campesina last week confirmed the demonstration for Tuesday, and Belgian farming federations FJA, FWA and FUGEA quickly confirmed that they would also be participating.
"During the entire day (from 06:00), the Rue de la Loi (between Schuman and the R20 Small Ring Road), the Reyers tunnel coming from the E40 motorway towards the centre and the Cinquantenaire tunnel towards Arts-Loi will be closed," the police announced in a press release.
Day-long disruptions
A "symbolic action" is scheduled for around 10:30 on Rue de la Loi, at the crossroads with Rue Guillaume le Taciturne. Still, the Small Ring Road around the city centre is expected to be inaccessible to car traffic at certain times throughout the day, as is the Arts-Loi intersection.
"The streets in the vicinity of Rue de la Loi and the European district may also experience traffic disruption. The problems can last until the late afternoon," they said.
The majority of participants in the demonstration in the Rue de la Loi will travel to Brussels via various access roads from very early in the day, meaning the morning rush hour will likely be heavily disrupted by numerous tractors driving into the capital.
Farmers attend a protest action in the European district in Brussels, organized by several agriculture unions from Belgium but also other European countries on Thursday 01 February 2024. Credit: Belga/Dirk Waem
As with the previous protest, the police advise against coming to Brussels by car and recommend using public transport, with a preference for metro and train – contrary to trams and buses, they are unlikely to get stuck in traffic.
On the day of the demonstration, people can follow all information and updates in real-time via the police's social media channels.
Another protest?
As during the previous two protests, the farmers are still demonstrating to express their displeasure with European agricultural policy, to call for an end to free trade agreements such as Mercosur and to obtain fair remuneration.
The first farmers' protest of the year took place on 1 February and saw over 1,200 tractors blocking the streets of Brussels, particularly the European Quarter. Considering the major turnout, the damage caused by the protestors was "relatively limited," despite damage to the monument to John Cockerill on Place du Luxembourg.
Several weeks later, on Monday 26 February, some 900 farmers returned to the capital for round two. This time, however, the demonstration quickly got out of hand as protestors set fire to straw bales and tractor tyres, and police officers were pelted with dung, explosives and oranges, as well as stakes and bottles.
Last week, the Brussels Capital/Ixelles police zone told The Brussels Times that the police were in full preparation for the upcoming demonstration.
