Anti-war protest turns violent

A PROTEST against war in Iraq turned violent yesterday in Brussels when dozens of youths clashed with police and attacked American-owned businesses.

Masked, stone-throwing youths broke windows at a McDonald’s fast food restaurant and a Marriot hotel, as well as an employment agency.

Up to a 100 youths, many of Arab origin, broke away from the main body of anti-war protesters who were marching through the city centre.

They hurled stones at businesses and police, who responded with baton charges. Photographers and TV camera operators were also targeted.

Police helicopters were monitoring the demonstration and water-canon trucks were on standby as officers tried to contain the violence. Some demonstrators were detained.

About 2,000 protesters comprising pro-Palestinian and anti-capitalist groups joined the demonstration led by a banner reading “Stop USA”.

Meanwhile, peace activists pledged yesterday to stage protests across

Europe against any war in Iraq, fired by the success of a weekend rally that brought half a million protesters onto the streets of Florence, Italy.

They said they were planning to hold a wave of demonstrations in three months, but would mobilise supporters sooner if a US attack on Iraq looked imminent.

“We have fixed a date of February 15,” Italian militant Piero Maestri said after a Florence meeting of European anti-globalisation groups, adding that the rallies would be staged simultaneously in all major European capitals.

“Some people wanted to hold it sooner, but the English said they needed more time to organise things. However, if war breaks out beforehand, we will hit the streets immediately,” Mr Maestri said.

United in anti-Americanism and riled by a tough new UN resolution to disarm Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, activists from across the Continent joined forces for a carnival-like peace rally that flooded this Renaissance art city on Saturday.

Some militants indicated that they would not wait until next February before taking to the streets again, saying they were convinced the US had already decided to wage war on Iraq.