Anti-government protests spread across Europe as Brussels clashes turn violent

Hundreds of protesters clashed with police in Brussels on Saturday during an anti-government demonstration, with Belgian student groups citing rising education costs and reforms they fear will reduce access to higher education. Rioters overturned a car, prompting police to use tear gas and water cannons. Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin condemned the violence as "no longer mere protest" and vowed to use all necessary means to restore order. The Brussels unrest was partly inspired by demonstrations in neighboring France, where protests over education funding have broadened into a wider movement against inequality and living standards. Similar protests have spread to other European cities, including Liège in Belgium and locations in Albania. French authorities reported 140 protests involving 32,800 people outside Paris by midday, attributing violent incidents to what they described as the "ultra-left."