Brussels Ablaze!

Firstly, something in excess of 200 tractors from various parts of Europe descended on Brussels. We might question why such a large number of slow moving vehicles that are unsuited for city roads were allowed in.

Secondly, a large pavillion was erected in Place de Luxembourg, directly in front of the European Parliament, and from about 10am farmers were flooding into the square and swigging free schnapps like they had hollow legs. Was it a good idea for the police to allow that?

Given the fact that at 11am a batallion of riot police had arrived, and there were barbed wire barriers cordoning off the parliament, one would assume that the police knew what was coming next. Was it a good idea to allow the square to continue to fill, and the drinking to go on?

Within hours the centre of Place de Luxembourg was ablaze, and the riot police were fending off flying barriers, bottles, and some interesting little molotov cocktails made from empty beer cans. There were rumours of gunfire. It was quite spectacular.

This morning the fires are still burning, the European Commission has been blockaded, and ominously there are small groups of youths gathering on the fringes. At 9.30 the riot police were lining up, and guess what? The farmers are already getting tanked up on schnapps. One might have thought it would occur to the cops to shut the bloody pavillion down.