Europe correspondent Nick Beake on the scene as farmers take to the streets in protest.

Footage from the Belgian capital shows smoke bellowing across the city, after farmers set fire to tyres, resulting in police firing water cannons to put out the flames.

Protesting farmers, who drove their tractors into the heart of the city and filled streets with manure, are angry at low food prices, cheap imports and new EU environmental measures.

Barbed wire was also placed outside EU institutions where agriculture ministers were due to gather.

    • Contestant@lemmy.worldEnglish
      206·
      9 months ago

      These farmers are idiots and are protesting the government instead of the corporations paying them low prices and making massive profits

      • Worx@lemmynsfw.comEnglish
        10·
        9 months ago

        The government could use legislation to force fairer prices on “corporations”, or tax those corporations and give that money to farmers.

        Not saying they should or not, or farmers are right or not, but it’s not like the government is powerless here. At the end of the day, while under capitalism, the government is supposed to be our way of fighting back against large financial interests.

        • Contestant@lemmy.worldEnglish
          62·
          9 months ago

          I know I’m generalizing a large group by saying this, but the type of farmers protesting are usually generally against government regulations. I believe in this case, they are protesting restrictions on pollution and nitrogen use, not asking for regulations on distribution.

          • bhmnscmm@lemmy.worldEnglish
            3·
            9 months ago

            It’s essentially the same root issue. The argument against the nitrogen use restrictions is that they will become even less able to earn income from farming.

            Not only are they struggling to earn income due to cheap imports/low prices from corporations, but now they also have to grow crops less economically.

            I’m not saying the polution measures are or aren’t appropriate. I’m just saying the crux of the problem is farming income, not polution in and of itself.

      • MuchPineapples@lemmy.worldEnglish
        4·
        9 months ago

        Ah but who do you think pays for the protests and meetings and such? In the Netherlands they had build a stage at a demonstration which was literally sponsored by a big agro company. Its all just a way to get their foot more into politics.