Angry farmers have started fires outside the European Parliament building in Brussels in protest against taxes, rising costs and cheap imports.
About 1,000 tractors have blocked major routes through the city, police estimate, with one displaying a banner reading “if you love the Earth, support those who manage it”.
Another banner read “no farmers, no food”, while others in the crowd threw eggs at the European Parliament building.
Officers in riot gear are guarding barriers where leaders are due to meet near parliament, with tractors parked in a central square.
“If you see with how many people we are here today, and if you see it’s all over Europe, so you must have hope,” said Kevin Bertens, a farmer from just outside Brussels.
“We must have hope that these people see that farming is necessary – it’s the food, you know.”
Farmers say they are choked by taxes and green rules, face unfair competition from abroad and aren’t paid enough.
Pic: AP
The farmers have already secured several measures, including EU proposals to limit farm imports from Ukraine and loosen some environmental regulations on fallow lands.
In France, where protests have been ongoing for weeks, the government promised more aid and dropped plans to gradually reduce subsidies on agricultural diesel.
But farmers, not satisfied with measures so far, have spread protests to countries Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Germany and Italy.
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This story originally appeared on Skynews
