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Riot police use water cannon to break up far-right protest at Brussels victims memorial

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    • Around 10 people were arrested on Sunday after Belgian riot police used a water cannon to break up a far-right protest at Brussels victims memorial, AFP reports.

    The hundreds-strong crowd, calling themselves “Casuals Against Terrorism”, marched into Place de la Bourse, where people have gathered at a makeshift memorial for victims since the March 22 attacks.

    Broadcast RTBF said there were between 500 and 1,000 protestors.

    The mob occupied the steps of the stock exchange in the square, a focal point for people paying their respects to the victims.

    The chanting group confronted Muslim women and made Nazi salutes, the BBC reported.

    After they ignored requests to disperse, water cannons were deployed.

    A “March Against Fear” planned for Sunday was postponed after officials said it would put pressure on police resources.

    Many of the demonstrators were dressed in black and some wore balaclavas or covered their faces.

    One told AFP: “We are football hooligans, we don’t have anything to do with politics.… We are here for the victims and to pay our respects.”

    Main image: Riot police hold back far right protestors on Place de la Bourse, Brussels. @emmamgc/Twitter

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