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More than 100 people have been detained following student protests in Belgium’s city of Liège over rising education costs, overcrowded classrooms and difficulties accessing educational resources.
The protests took place on Tuesday and Wednesday, with violence erupting at several locations. Police said some demonstrators vandalised property and set fires.
According to Belgian news agency Belga, 80 people were detained and 27 were formally arrested in connection with the unrest.
The students said longstanding problems in the country’s French-speaking education system had forced them to take to the streets, demanding meaningful reforms.
Amelia De Salve, a 19-year-old student training to become a teacher, said they decided to launch the protests after seeing little change without demonstrations. She added that protests in neighbouring France had also influenced them.
Another 19-year-old student, Alfred, told Reuters that demonstrators were supporting one another because they faced similar problems.
Liège Mayor Willy Demeyer told Belgian broadcaster RTBF that dialogue remained possible, expressing hope that young people would be able to voice their grievances peacefully and have their concerns taken seriously.
Local authorities are working to restore calm and prevent further violence.
Source: Al Jazeera