Farmers' protest planned for Brussels this Thursday

Farmers are planning to block traffic around the EU district of Brussels on Thursday, in the latest protest against transatlantic trade talks.

Anti-austerity group Alliance D19-20 says 60 European farmers' associations are supporting the demonstration, which will take place between 12.00 and 17.00.

Among those involved are the European Milk Board, the Flemish Milk Board and young farmers' association Jeunesses Agricoles Belges. In a joint statement, they announced plans for "columns of tractors, trucks and cars surrounding the European summit".

The last farmers' protest, on 7 September, saw an estimated 7,000 tractors converge on Schuman roundabout, with demonstrators throwing projectiles and police responding with tear gas and water cannon.

Photo: Teemu Mäntynen/Flickr. Licensed under Creative Commons