Arrests, water cannon & a burning car: Yellow Vest protests spread to Brussels (PHOTOS, VIDEOS)

France's ‘Yellow Vest’ protests have now made their way to Belgium, with demonstrators in Brussels calling on the prime minister to resign. Some threw rocks and firecrackers at officers, prompting them to deploy water cannons.

Crowds of people protesting fuel prices and living standards disrupted traffic and walked the streets for around three hours on Friday.

A total of 60 people were arrested before any violence began, mostly for blocking roads or carrying large fireworks, Reuters cited police as saying.

© Reuters / Yves Herman

The violence took place after several hundred people marched to the office of Prime Minister Charles Michel, demanding that he resign. Some threw rocks, firecrackers, and road signs at police, prompting officers to deploy water cannons. One photo online showed a police vehicle set on fire.

Responding to the demonstrations, Michel voiced sympathy for people's financial troubles, but noted that “money doesn't fall from the sky.”

The unauthorized demonstration, news of which spread mostly on social media, was inspired by the ‘Yellow Vest’ protests in France against fuel price hikes imposed by President Emmanuel Macron. The increases are part of the government's efforts to reduce emissions causing global warming.

© Reuters / Yves Herman

While the ‘Yellow Vest’ protests have taken place across France over the past two weeks, they became violent in Paris, with the French capital being compared to a war zone as demonstrators set barricades alight and clashed with police. 

© Reuters / Yves Herman

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