"Hundreds of tractors have clogged the streets of Brussels as farmers converged on the Belgian capital to protest against the contentious trade agreement between the European Union and South American nations they say will destroy their livelihoods. The demonstrations erupted on Thursday as EU leaders gathered for a summit where the fate of the Mercosur deal hung in the balance. More than 150 tractors blocked central Brussels, with an estimated 10,000 protesters expected in the European quarter, according to farm lobby Copa-Cogeca."
"Outside the gilded halls on the streets, farmers hurled potatoes and eggs at police, set off fireworks and firecrackers, and brought traffic to a standstill. Authorities responded with tear gas and water cannon, setting up roadblocks and closing tunnels around the city. One tractor displayed a sign reading: Why import sugar from the other side of the world when we produce the best right here? We're here to say no to Mercosur, Belgian dairy farmer Maxime Mabille said, accusing European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen of trying to force the deal through like Europe has become a dictatorship."
Thousands of farmers converged on Brussels to protest the Mercosur trade agreement, bringing more than 150 tractors and an estimated 10,000 people to the EU quarter. Demonstrations coincided with an EU summit where leaders debated using nearly $200bn in frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine. Protesters hurled potatoes and eggs, set off fireworks, and clogged traffic; authorities used tear gas, water cannon, roadblocks and closed tunnels. Farmers warned that cheaper South American beef, sugar, rice, honey and soya beans produced under laxer pesticide rules would undercut European producers and threaten livelihoods.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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