Thousands flood Brussels streets as anti-austerity protests erupt into clashes with police

Thousands of demonstrators poured into the streets of Brussels on Friday, at times clashing with police officers, to protest the Belgian government's budget-tightening measures and the overall rise in the cost of living.

Dozens of protesters, most of them young and dressed in black with masks over their faces, were seen throwing rocks and firecrackers at police at the central Brussels railway station, The Associated Press reported.

They also set several fires, with photos showing a man lighting an electric scooter ablaze.