Belgian police arrest 107 during Liege student unrest

Belgian police have arrested 107 people during student protests in the eastern city of Liege since early October, local authorities said on Wednesday, as demonstrations over education costs and living conditions intensified across the French-speaking region.

Mass arrests in university city

The arrests comprise 80 administrative detentions and 27 judicial arrests, police said in a statement issued to Belga news agency. Tuesday saw the highest single-day tally, with 53 people detained near the University of Liege — 46 administratively and seven judicially — after young people gathered in streets around the campus.

Property damage and shifting tactics

Some demonstrators damaged property and set fires during earlier gatherings, according to police reports. On Wednesday, students assembled peacefully outside the Athenee Leonie de Waha school, local media reported, suggesting a potential shift in tactics as the movement enters its second week.

Parallel French protests

The Belgian demonstrations coincide with a broader student movement in neighboring France, where high school students have blocked school entrances for several days. Protesters in both countries cite rising costs for higher education and public transport passes, overcrowded classrooms, and shortages of course materials as primary grievances driving the unrest.