By Katie Westwood
Oct 14, 2025
A national strike brought about severe disruption to Brussels today as tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets to oppose reforms by the Federal Government.
The Brussels public transport network was badly affected by the industrial action, with only two metro lines running today and many tram and bus services cancelled. Drivers were advised to avoid the roads due to the heavy traffic.
The day started with a bang after several people were arrested for starting fires on Place de l’Yser and Boulevard de Dixmude in the city centre, causing major disruption to traffic during the morning rush hour.
The Brussels-Capital/Ixelles police zone said it was likely to have been an arson attack. “Initial findings point to a deliberate act, likely committed by protesters with the intention of disrupting traffic. The relevant authorities are conducting further investigations,” a spokesperson said.
Later in the day, masked protesters clashed with riot police in Brussels city centre, near Pacheco. Several people were injured in the clashes and police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowd. According to Belga News Agency a number of arrests were made at the scene.
Separately, projectiles, paint bombs, and firecrackers were seen to be thrown in the direction of the Immigration Office building, damaging its facade. Police made several arrests.
‘We want to be peaceful in the streets’
Trade union representatives condemned the violence. Bert Engelaar of the socialist FGTB-ABVV union said the people who set these fires “do not belong” at the peaceful demonstration that the unions have organised.
“Nobody wants vandalism and destruction in the streets. I think that completely defeats our purpose,” he told VRT. “They are actually making us lose some credibility. We want to be peaceful in the streets; we don’t want to cause any destruction or discredit this demonstration. I am condemning this in the strongest possible terms.”
Among their list of demands, the trade unions are calling for overtime with bonuses, easier access to early retirement, fair compensation for night work, higher pensions, and job security for young people.
Unions are strongly opposed to the government’s austerity measures, including the recently announced two-year limit on claiming unemployment benefit. Another key concern is over the government’s plans to increase the number of days Belgians work per year before they are eligible to receive their pensions.
“The De Wever government is launching a full-scale attack on workers’ rights,” the unions wrote in a statement. “The result: ruined careers and exhausted workers.”
Minister for Pensions Jan Jambon (N-VA) met with representatives of civil service unions on Tuesday morning. A spokesperson for the minister said: “The dialogue was constructive. We explained the transitional measures that are planned, but the spirit of the reform remains unchanged.”
The leader of the French-speaking side of the union FGTB-ABVV, Thierry Bodson, warned that further actions and strikes will take place before the end of the year. A meeting will be held on 21 October to decide what these actions will entail.
What did people in Brussels think of the strike?
In Brussels city centre, opinions on the strike varied. One restaurant owner even told our reporter that demonstrations can be “good for business”.
“Demonstrators often stop by to have a bite to eat once the protest ends, which is good for the restaurant,” she said.
Students offered strong support to the demonstrators. Inside the IHECS university building, many were seen cheering on the protesters as they marched down Rue des Alexiens.
Amado, who works at a supermarket in the capital, said that he has more work today than usual but is “thankful for those demonstrating”. He said he “fully supports the movement” as he feels that nothing positive is coming out of the Federal Government’s reforms.
There were concerns from some residents, however. Federico, who works in a shop on Boulevard du Jardin Botanique said he was stressed about demonstrators getting violent, while fellow shopkeeper Jorge told our reporter he is “tired of demonstrations” and feels like they haven’t led to significant changes.
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