Farmers from across Europe took part on Tuesday in a peaceful protest on Heysel Plateau in Brussels, organised by the Farmers Defence Force, capital police reported.
Roughly 500 tractors and 1,200 individuals participated the demonstration, which was the latest in a string of protests against the EU's environmental policies in recent months. No French-speaking agricultural organisations took part.
The organisers of the protest, Farmers Defence Force (FDF) had anticipated a turnout of thousands of tractors and 25,000 protesters.
“At around 2.00 p.m., a symbolic delegation of 13 tractors journeyed under police escort to Luxembourg Square," police reported at the end of the day. "By 3:15 p.m. they returned to Heysel Plateau accompanied by our services."
"Meanwhile, other tractor groups gradually left Heysel Plateau. The whole event transpired calmly and smoothly,” the police reported, adding that all participants had left the scene by 4:45 p.m.
The FDF is viewed as close to the far right, which has zoomed in on farmers' grievances ahead of the EU parliamentary elections on 6-9 June.
