Brussels anti-austerity protest of 30,000 turns violent, police say

Thousands marched in Brussels on Friday against the Belgian government's budget-tightening measures and rising living costs, in a strike organized by two major labor unions. Police estimated about 30,000 participants. Masked demonstrators threw rocks and firecrackers at officers near the central railway station and set fires, including an electric scooter. Police used tear gas and water cannons, saying the unrest was caused by people not affiliated with the organized march. A separate public-sector strike is planned for Monday.