Farmers converge on Brussels: expect disruption!
Flemish farmers and market gardeners are heading for Brussels on their tractors tomorrow Friday to protest against measures to cut nitrate levels. Traffic disruption is expected across Flanders and its capital, Brussels.
The various farmers’ organisations plan a demo involving 2,000 tractors in Brussels. All joined up the tractors will form a column stretching for up to 20 kilometres.
Farmers’ organisations say Flemish government plans – though not yet finalised - will lead to a social economic bloodbath in farming communities. They insist changes need to be made to offer farmers the prospect of a decent future so they can provide local, sustainable and healthy food meeting high quality standards.
Tractors will converge on Brussels from the four corners of Flanders. The farmers will meet up at 11:30 and take to the inner orbital Kleine Ring bound for Kunst-Wet, where farmers’ leaders will address the crowd at 1PM. Around 2:30PM the farmers will start to head home.
The police expect disruption on many important Flemish traffic arteries. Farmers intend to use the N1, the N2, the N8 and the N9 to access Brussels. Columns are heading in from Leuven, Mechelen, Hasselt, Ghent, Deinze, Oudenaarde, Dendermonde, Aalst, Ninove and West Flanders.
The police urge drivers to avoid regional roads, to travel by train or bike or to work from home if possible.