Protests turned violent in the Belgian cities of Arlon and Liège on Monday. Fires were set, fireworks were thrown and dozens of people were arrested, many of them minors.
In Arlon, police said trouble began early in the morning. Several groups gathered from 8am and moved through the city centre, many with their faces covered by masks or hoods.
Fires were deliberately set on public property, including bins and benches, at Place Schalbert, the station car park, Rue Albert Goffaux, the Meuse district and Place Léopold. Police and firefighters quickly brought them under control.
Fireworks and firecrackers were also thrown at passers-by, students, shop windows, homes, and were used near the Institut Technique Étienne Lenoir (Itela).
A large police deployment allowed officers to identify several suspects. Criminal and administrative investigations have been opened for arson, resisting police and vandalism. The public prosecutor's office for the Belgian province of Luxembourg said the cases will be treated as a priority.
By the afternoon, police had made 15 administrative arrests, including 10 minors. Those detained came from across the province and were not all students in Arlon.
In Liège, student protests against education reforms also turned violent. Gatherings outside several schools were peaceful in the morning, but troublemakers joined in the afternoon, causing major disruption in the city centre.
Bus shelters were vandalised, and one was set on fire at Place de la République française around 4pm. Bins, e-scooters, and surveillance cameras were also burned or damaged.
Police used a water cannon and tear gas to disperse crowds and give firefighters access. Many shopkeepers boarded up their windows as a precaution.
Authorities reported 23 administrative, 7 judicial arrests, and 18 police officers were lightly injured.
Earlier incidents took place near the Saint-Barthélemy collegiate church, Hors-Château and Place Saint-Lambert, where hundreds of students had gathered. Calm returned in the early evening.
Elsewhere, around 100 students demonstrated peacefully in Virton. Organisers are sharing new protest dates on social media to keep the movement going.
Belgian media also reported violence in Hannut, Verviers, Mons and Charleroi, where police detained nearly 20 minors.
