EU officials ordered to evacuate amid escalating farmers' protest | Euractiv

The EU quarter woke up with tractors rolling down the streets of Brussels, and had lunch under tear gas.  

What started as a farmers’ protest against the Commission’s budget overhaul spiralled into one of the most violent days the EU quarter has seen in months. 

From the early hours of Thursday, convoys of tractors clogged the streets leading into the European quarter, horns blaring as farmers from across the bloc converged on the city.

Banners denounced Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen’s plans to reshape the EU budget, with protesters warning that subsidy cuts and a proposed ‘single fund’ would hollow out the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), just as EU leaders gathered nearby for a European Council meeting.

The demonstration at Place Luxembourg, in front of the European Parliament, got out of hand, forcing staff from the Antall and Brandt buildings to relocate to the Spinelli building, according to email alerts seen by Euractiv.

But the chaos did not stop at the Parliament’s doors.  

Inside Commission buildings, staff received a cascade of EC email security alerts warning of tear gas and smoke in the area. Ventilation systems were shut down, and later messages urged employees to avoid Place Luxembourg altogether and not to openly wear EU badges outside.