Student protests escalate as shops are vandalized in Liège, Belgium

On October 7, 2026, in Liège, Belgium, @lenkaaa12_ shared a video showing large crowds of student protesters gathered around Place Saint-Lambert in the city center. In the video, hundreds of young people pack the streets and sidewalks as bystanders record the unfolding events on their phones. Amid the unrest, groups of youths vandalize nearby businesses, including a Quick fast-food restaurant, while other storefronts in the area are targeted. According to reports, students protested education reforms, budget cuts, rising tuition fees, and poor school conditions in French-speaking Belgium. While some demonstrations remained peaceful, vandalism and fires damaged bus shelters, rubbish bins, electric scooters, and shops in central Liège. Police used tear gas and water cannons and made more than 80 arrests on October 7. The mayor later banned public gatherings of more than three people temporarily.