Liège police surround protesters with water cannon at austerity demo

Police in riot gear surrounded protesters and briefly deployed a water cannon outside the Galeries Saint-Lambert in Liège on Saturday afternoon during a demonstration against austerity measures and education reforms. The protest began in the morning at Guillemins station and caused disruptions throughout the day, including a sit-in at Place Saint-Lambert that blocked bus traffic and barricades in the Fontainebleau area that halted vehicles from 1:15 PM. Tensions escalated mid-afternoon when officers encircled the group, though calm returned within minutes. Police reported demonstrators later moved through Rue Cathédrale and Boulevard de la Sauvenière before returning to Place Saint-Lambert by 3:45 PM.