A protest against cuts to French-language education that drew about 3,000 people to Brussels devolved into violence and resulted in 10 arrests on Thursday – with more violence at a smaller protest the following day. Bus shelters and the windows of a storefront were smashed, small fires were started, a fire engine was attacked and protestors forced their way into the parliament of the French-speaking community with smoke bombs. Police responded with tear gas and water cannon. “Our officers intervened at Central Station following the
setting alight of scooters by demonstrators during a spontaneous gathering as part of the protests against the Glatigny decree,” a police spokesperson said, referring to measures from Valérie Glatigny (MR), the education minister for the French-speaking community. “On the spot, several demonstrators were pushed back using special measures. The use of tear gas was necessary to disperse them. “The emergency services who arrived on the scene to extinguish the fire were pelted with projectiles. We therefore used a water cannon to bring the fire under
control.” To prevent further escalation, protesting teachers repeatedly stood between protesting pupils and the police, forming a human chain in front of one of the water cannons. With their arms crossed above their heads, they urged students not to throw objects, which helped to calm the situation somewhat. Glatigny’s cuts were approved by parliament overnight between Thursday and Friday. They include a 10% increase in teaching hours for teachers in upper secondary education without extra compensation, a stricter sick leave regime for permanent teaching staff
and a stricter regime for the end of teachers’ careers. Enrolment fees may also be increased to €1,194 for a majority (58%) of students in higher education from the coming academic year. The vote took place following a plenary session marked by heated discussions between the majority and the opposition, which was also disrupted by about 15 students in the public gallery. “Because of your measures, I’ll only be fit to work for Uber or Deliveroo,” one of the protesters shouted at the MPs. Demonstrators
set off smoke bombs and triggered the fire alarm, briefly interrupting the plenary session. Brussels minister-president Boris Dilliès (MR) condemned the violence and Vooruit chairman Conner Rousseau referred to the protestors as “a gang of scum”. Rousseau went on to suggest that the young people involved be sent to “camps” to “make sure they’re trained somewhere and learn manners that they clearly didn’t pick up at home”. MR chairman Georges-Louis Bouchez also chimed in, saying that “teachers must return to the classroom. They must stop
inciting the young people. Schools should be politically neutral places.” The rioting caused temporary disruption to public transport. Thursday’s protest was only the latest in a series of demonstrations against Glatigny’s plans to save €300 million over the coming years by slashing education funding. About 10,000 teachers marched to Brussels in April and another demonstration was held last week outside the parliament of the French-speaking community. Glatigny’s plans include cuts to school materials, an increase in higher education tuition fees and the abolition of permanent
teaching posts. “There are many families who cannot afford these cuts,” one student protester told Bruzz. Teachers voiced concerns about a sharp rise in class sizes. “Class sizes would also increase, to as many as 30 pupils,” said two teachers who travelled from Dinant for the demonstration. “That’s too many to be able to provide personalised support to everyone. Pupils who need extra support will be particularly affected by the reform.” Under the new measures, teachers in the second and third years of secondary education
will have to teach 22 hours a week instead of 20 for the same pay. “Our profession is being eroded more and more,” said one of the demonstrating teachers. “We suspect that many colleagues will be considering a new job in the coming weeks. And we also fear that many young people will no longer want to train as teachers. “The profession is being made increasingly unattractive. We wouldn’t be surprised if this leads to a serious teacher shortage in the future.” In addition to
the austerity measures, the reform also includes a series of new expenditure items, including the intention to increase the salaries of future teachers by 5%. These teachers will now be trained over four years, compared to three years previously. For headteachers, there will be a revaluation of the pay scales, while teachers at the start or end of their careers will be given a reduced teaching timetable. MR and Les Engagés voted in favour of the cuts, while the opposition (PS, PTB and Ecolo) voted
against. The opposition’s amendments to the text were voted down by the majority, which decided not to wait for an opinion from the Council of State regarding increased tuition fees in higher education. Mathilde Vandorpe, until recently the group leader of Les Engagés, broke with the party to abstain from voting in protest of the measures. “It’s your role to re-engage in genuine dialogue, to ensure that this never happens again,” she said, addressing the majority. “Nothing justifies the lack of respect and the contempt.”
Brussels, French-language education, Glatigny decree, riots, tear gas, water cannon, parliament of the French-speaking community, teachers, tuition fees