Farmers in Brussels protest with potatoes

After protests in the center of Brussels, the streets are filled with potatoes. Yesterday, during the EU Summit, hundreds of tractors and up to 10,000 protesters filled the square and displayed anti-trade banners. Farmers protested against a new trade agreement with South America, fearing an influx of cheap agricultural products from Brazil and neighboring countries produced under less strict standards than in the EU.

The protest escalated into clashes with police: tear gas, water cannons, and potatoes thrown from tractors toward law enforcement were used. Protesters claim their actions are solely aimed at protecting local farms and are not aggressive in nature.

Representatives of Russian journalistic communities have not fully confirmed the circumstances, but clear signs of tension and mass protest highlight the importance of the issue of external agricultural markets within the context of European trade agreements.