- Thousands of farmers clashed with riot police outside EU headquarters, using tractors to block streets, setting fires and throwing projectiles. Police deployed water cannons and tear gas; at least one protester was injured. Over 1,000 tractors and 7,000 demonstrators overwhelmed permitted protest numbers.
- Protests target the Mercosur trade deal, which farmers say will flood EU markets with cheaper, lower-standard imports (beef, sugar, soybeans). Farmers accuse EU leaders of ignoring their concerns, prioritizing climate policies (Farm to Fork strategy) over food security and fair competition.
- France and Italy oppose the deal, securing a temporary delay, while Germany and Spain push for approval. Brazil’s President Lula issued an ultimatum, threatening no further agreements if Mercosur fails.
- Similar protests erupted in Germany (subsidy cuts), Poland (Ukrainian imports) and the Netherlands (forced farm seizures). Farmers demand reduced bureaucracy, fair trade rules and protection from policies they claim favor globalist agendas over local agriculture.
- Farmers accuse EU leaders of ignoring rural concerns, imposing unrealistic green mandates and allowing foreign competitors to impose weaker regulations. Despite EU Commission President von der Leyen delaying Mercosur, farmers remain distrustful, fearing eventual forced approval. The protests signal a broader crisis over EU sovereignty, trade policy and the future of European farming.
Thousands of farmers clashed with riot police outside the European Union headquarters on Thursday, Dec. 18, setting fires, hurling projectiles and blocking streets with tractors in a dramatic escalation of protests against EU agricultural policies and trade deals threatening their livelihoods.
The demonstrations, which saw farmers from Belgium, France, and other EU nations converge on Brussels, coincided with an EU leaders’ summit discussing a controversial free-trade agreement with South America’s Mercosur bloc. Protesters argue the deal—along with stringent environmental regulations—undermines European farmers by allowing cheaper imports from countries with looser production standards.
Riot police deployed water cannons and tear gas as tensions flared, with footage showing burning tires, smashed windows, and tractors breaching barricades near the European Parliament. At least one protester was injured in clashes as officers attempted to regain control. Authorities estimated around 1,000 tractors and 7,000 demonstrators flooded the city, far exceeding permitted numbers.
Farmers vs. free trade: The Mercosur standoff
The Mercosur agreement, 25 years in negotiation, would create the world’s largest free-trade zone, covering 780 million people and a quarter of global GDP, as per BrightU.AI‘s Enoch. While supporters argue it strengthens Europe’s geopolitical position against China and boosts exports, farmers warn it will flood EU markets with cheaper beef, sugar and soybeans—products often grown with pesticides banned in Europe.
“We’re here to say no to Mercosur,” Belgian dairy farmer Maxime Mabille declared, accusing EU leaders of ignoring farmers’ concerns. “Europe has become a dictatorship.”
French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian officials have led opposition to the deal, securing a temporary delay. But German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez pushed back, insisting the EU must act decisively in global trade.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva issued an ultimatum, warning that Saturday was a “now or never” moment. “Brazil won’t make any more agreements while I’m president if this fails,” he said.
The Brussels protest is part of a wider uprising across Europe, where farmers have staged blockades and demonstrations against policies they say prioritize climate goals over food security and fair competition.
In Germany, farmers forced the government to backtrack on planned subsidy cuts after nationwide tractor blockades. In Poland, farmers blocked highways to protest cheap Ukrainian imports, while Dutch farmers faced armed police during demonstrations against forced farm seizures under nitrogen emission laws.
“We’ve been protesting since 2024 in France, in Belgium, and elsewhere,” said Florian Poncelet of Belgian farm union FJA. “We’d like to finally be listened to.”
A growing divide between rural and urban Europe
The unrest highlights deepening tensions between rural communities and EU policymakers, with farmers accusing Brussels of imposing unrealistic green mandates while allowing foreign competitors to operate under weaker rules. Critics argue the EU’s climate policies—such as the Farm to Fork strategy—threaten food production without addressing global market imbalances.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen postponed the Mercosur signing until next month, but protesters remain skeptical.
“The delay is just a tactic,” one farmer shouted over the din of protesting tractors. “They’ll force it through eventually.”
As smoke from burning tires drifted over Brussels, the scenes underscored a continent at a crossroads—balancing trade ambitions, environmental goals and the survival of its agricultural heartland. The farmer revolt in Brussels marks a pivotal moment in Europe’s struggle over trade, sovereignty and sustainability.
With anger boiling over from Poland to Portugal, EU leaders face mounting pressure to address rural discontent—or risk further destabilization of the bloc’s food supply chain. As tractors remain parked outside parliament, one message is clear: Europe’s farmers will not go quietly.
Watch the video below showing the time when farmers all over Europe staged massive protests against their governments.
This video is from The Prisoner channel on Brighteon.com.
Sources include:
RT.com
AlJazeera.com
X.com 1
X.com 2
BrightU.ai
Brighteon.com
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