Brussels on Fire, Chaos in EU Headquarters!

(Patria) - Today in Brussels, around 1,000 farmers on tractors blocked several central streets, particularly near the European Quarter, where EU leaders are expected for an emergency meeting of the European Council.

The farmers, who arrived from across Europe to protest against the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the Green Deal, especially from Italy, blocked Luxembourg Square in front of the European Parliament and set several fires using wood and tires, reports Ansa.

Other acts of vandalism, such as throwing stones and setting off firecrackers, have also been reported, and traffic is disrupted in the vicinity of Brussels as well, reports Dutch public broadcaster VRT.

A convoy of farmers on tractors headed earlier today towards the EU headquarters in Brussels, aiming to present their grievances related to excessive prices, regulations, and bureaucracy to the bloc's leaders at a summit scheduled to discuss aid to Ukraine.

"There will be many people... We will show that we are dissatisfied, and that is enough, our goal is not to destroy everything," said Jean François Riquer, a farmer from southern Belgium, adding that he expects between 1,000 and 1,400 vehicles at the protest. Farmers blocked several roads across Belgium, France, and Italy on Wednesday, as they attempted to disrupt trade in major ports and other economic routes, reports AP.

The protests have had an immediate impact, and the European Commission announced plans on Wednesday to protect farmers from cheap exports from Ukraine during the war and to allow farmers to use some land that was forced to lie fallow for environmental reasons, reports Novosti.

The plans need to be approved by the bloc's 27 member states and the European Parliament, but they represent a symbolic concession to European farmers.

"I would just like to assure them that we are doing everything in our power to listen to their concerns. I think we are currently addressing important issues for them," said European Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič.