Dozens of farmers arrived in Brussels overnight into Thursday to take part in protests planned for the day of the extraordinary Special European Council summit. Tractor drivers entered the city in an organized way in several directions, accompanied by police, and are now blocking some highways in the Belgian capital. They include both Belgian farmers and their counterparts from neighboring European countries. Many expect to stay in Brussels for more than a day.
Police have blocked the entrance to the European Parliament building. The protesters and law enforcement are acting peacefully as police try to put out fires. A farmer partaking in the rally told RIA Novosti that the protesters would not use violence and expected a response from European leaders attending the summit.
Several streets near the European Quarter in Brussels are jammed with tractors and trucks, many unloading hay right on the street. Some demonstrators are even displaying their products on the street.
Earlier on Thursday, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said that EU leaders should include the issue of mass farmer protests across the bloc on the agenda for discussion at the European Council summit, as the protesters' demands were partly legitimate.
Meanwhile, Brussels police have recorded the arrival of 1,300 tractors to the Belgian capital, gathering to participate in the protests against the EU's agricultural policy amid the bloc's ongoing European Council meeting.
"Official count Brussels: 1,300 tractors," the police said on X.
Apart from Belgium, farmers' protests have already caused disruptions in France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania and the Netherlands. On Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron urged European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to stop the current round of trade deal negotiations with South American trade bloc Mercosur amid the protests, media reported. However, on Tuesday, European Commission spokesman Eric Mamer said the commission had not suspended the negotiations with Mercosur and would continue to work for an agreement that would comply with the EU's sustainability goals and take into account the bloc's concerns in agriculture.