Brussels police used water cannon and tear gas several times last Tuesday evening during a pro-Palestinian demonstration in front of the Israeli embassy in Brussels, the Belgian news agency reported.
Initially peaceful, the atmosphere became tense. Around 200 people were present.
The demonstration began at around 6pm. At around 7.15pm, the demonstrators headed for nearby the Bois de la Cambre public park, where a police cordon accompanied by water cannons awaited them.
A few demonstrators then blocked the road and tried to light a fire on the pavement. Several demonstrators also threw branches in the direction of the police. The protesters also tried to cross the police cordon, but the police first used tear gas and then water cannon to disperse them. A police charge brought the rally to an end at around 7.45pm, and the demonstrators were driven back into the Bois de la Cambre.
According to Boris Dilliès, mayor of Uccle, the Brussels commune where the embassy is located, this was “yet another spontaneous demonstration that was not authorized”. He went on to point out that some individuals and demonstrators threw projectiles in the direction of the police.
“At that point, I authorized the police to use tear gas and water cannon to disperse the demonstrators.” According to Boris Dilliès, they were mostly vandals and “not real demonstrators”. “We cannot tolerate people seeking confrontation with the police,’’ he said.