Hundreds of students took to the streets of Liège, a city in eastern Belgium near the borders with Germany and the Netherlands, protesting the education system in the French-speaking community of Belgium. The protests were partly triggered by unrest in the education sector in neighbouring France.
According to local media, 107 people have been arrested in recent days. Local authorities did not immediately confirm the number. The Belgian news agency Belga stated that the arrests were linked to offences such as damage to property and arson.
Students cited rising costs of education, overcrowded classrooms, and limited access to teaching materials as key issues. Protesters carried banners with the messages: 'The situation is chaotic, we are fighting for our rights!' and 'I chose education, not The Hunger Games!'
The unrest followed clashes between protesters and police in Brussels in June over education reforms. The reforms include an increase in tuition fees for most students in the French-speaking community of Belgium from €835 to €1,194.
Footage circulating on social media in recent days shows shattered shop windows and windows, fires, and hundreds of mostly young protesters on the streets of Liège. Other footage shows police blocking roads, with some roads blocked by police.
