Belgian police arrest 40 anti-globalisation protesters

Belgian police have arrested 40 anti-globalisation protesters near Brussels city centre.

The protesters had chained themselves to an abandoned building as part of a demonstration to mark the start of an EU summit.

3,000 riot police have been deployed in the city as the leaders of the 15 EU member states prepare for a summit in the royal palace of Laeken.

The area around the palace has been sealed off to prevent demonstrators from disrupting the summit, as has the EU parliament building and the city’s historic central square.

Tens of thousands of workers and trade union activists from 25 countries marched through the city today to demand increased participation for workers in the formation of EU social policy.

Waltraud Etz, a spokeswoman for the European Trade Union Confederation, which organised today’s march, said: "This is an appeal for a better Europe. We are not against Europe.

"We want more jobs and better quality jobs."

The ETUC said it wants quality public services, more workers’ rights, improved health and safety in the workplace and an EU commitment to tone down "today’s unbridled globalisation".