Belgian school protests escalate in Liège
Dozens were detained during demonstrations against education policy, and eighteen officers suffered minor injuries.
Follow-up to: Hundreds of French schools remain closed after protests Sunday, 4 October 2026, 15:01
School protests that began earlier in France also led to clashes in Belgium on Monday. In Liège, dozens of people were detained, according to local media, after groups caused damage in the city centre and threw projectiles at police.
The protests began on Monday at several schools in Liège. Pupils blocked entrances and demonstrated against reforms to education and cuts within the French Community of Belgium. Some gatherings passed peacefully, but disorder later broke out in the city centre.
According to Belgian news sources, police reported that eighteen officers suffered minor injuries. Initial reports differ on the number of arrests. The Brussels Times reported sixteen arrests based on information from local police, while regional broadcaster Qu4tre put the figure at thirty: 23 administrative and seven judicial arrests.
According to Qu4tre, street furniture and stops were damaged, among other things, and fires were reported on public roads. Police used water cannon and tear gas to disperse groups. As reports were still being updated that same evening, the final number of arrests may change.
The unrest in Belgium is part of a wave of protests in France, where secondary-school pupils have been taking action for days against overcrowded classes, staff shortages and heavy workloads. According to French government figures, there were blockades or protests at hundreds of secondary schools on Monday. The Belgian demonstrations, however, have their own cause in the policy of the French Community.
For Dutch readers, the cross-border dynamic is particularly relevant. Education policy remains organised nationally or regionally, but pupils communicate via the same platforms and quickly adopt forms of action from one another. At the same time, it has not been established that all participants in the riots were part of the original school protests.
The Belgian authorities must make clear in the coming days how many people have been formally detained, what suspicions apply and what measures schools are taking. Until then, distinguishing between peaceful school actions and criminal damage is essential.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Pupils demonstrated against education policy and cuts.
- Some of the actions in Liège escalated into damage and clashes.
- There were arrests and injured officers.
- The precise number of arrests differs between initial sources.
Left
Arguments Pupils are protesting against larger classes, staff shortages and cuts that affect the quality of education. The government must listen to the substance of that criticism and not use violence to close down the debate.
Values Equal educational opportunities, public services and social justice.
Consequences Addressing the core concerns could reduce pressure from the protests; neglect could broaden the movement.
Centre
Arguments Reforming education may be necessary when budgets are under pressure, but changes must be explained and introduced gradually. Peaceful protest is legitimate; damage is not.
Values Continuity, proportionality and careful governance.
Consequences A combination of dialogue and targeted enforcement could keep schools open without treating all demonstrators as troublemakers.
Right
Arguments Schools must remain a safe learning environment, and public property must not be damaged. Reforms may be necessary to make the system financially sustainable.
Values Authority, responsibility and budgetary discipline.
Consequences Firm action could restore order, but without improvements in educational outcomes, the underlying discontent will remain.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The text transparently presents the conflicting initial arrest figures and does not treat unconfirmed numbers as established fact. The implications for education policy are limited to what the sources report.
- confirmed People were detained in Liège on Monday during school protests. — Confirmed by The Brussels Times and Qu4tre. source
- confirmed Eighteen officers suffered minor injuries. — Reported by Qu4tre based on local police information. source
- confirmed The sources give different numbers of arrests. — The Brussels Times gives sixteen; Qu4tre gives thirty. source
- confirmed The Belgian protests are connected to broader French school protests. — The geographical spread and shared protest context are described by AP. source
Editor's note
The number of arrests differs by source and is therefore presented as a range and source discrepancy. The link with the French protests is included as factual context, but not every participant is associated with the school movement.Sources
- Manifestations et émeutes : 30 arrestations à Liège — Qu4tre Liège Média
- Sixteen arrested as student protests in Liège turn violent — The Brussels Times
- What to know as France school protests morph into unrest — Associated Press
The story so far
- Thursday, 1 October 2026, 14:03 French pupils' protests spread
- Friday, 2 October 2026, 00:01 France to close 400 schools on Friday amid pupil protests
- Friday, 2 October 2026, 09:01 Damage from French school protests remains disputed
- Friday, 2 October 2026, 13:05 French school protests escalate: nearly 2,000 arrests
- Friday, 2 October 2026, 22:02 French government seeks way out after school protests
- Friday, 2 October 2026, 23:08 French minister meets students after school protest escalation
- Saturday, 3 October 2026, 13:27 French school protests lead to more than 5,000 detentions
- Sunday, 4 October 2026, 15:01 Hundreds of French schools remain closed after protests
- Sunday, 4 October 2026, 20:06 French schools to close again on Monday amid protests
- Monday, 5 October 2026, 14:13 French pupil loses hand after explosion at school
- Monday, 5 October 2026, 21:41 Belgian school protests escalate in Liège (this article)
More on this in Dutch media
- RTL Nieuws — „belgië luik”
- NOS — „belgië luik”
- Het Parool — „belgië luik”