Farmers have protested against the European Union's agricultural policy in Brussels a few days before the European elections.
Around 1,200 demonstrators took part in the action with around 500 tractors, according to the Belgian police in Brussels on Tuesday. However, the Belgian news agency Belga reported that the organizers of the protest had expected 25,000 participants.
Initially, the farmers gathered near the Atomium, just outside the centre of Brussels. In the afternoon, some of the demonstrators set off in their tractors from the Brussels landmark in the direction of the European Parliament.
According to Belga, the tractors mainly came from the Belgian region of Flanders, the Netherlands and Poland. Tractors with German flags and German posters also took part in the protest.
The demonstration was organized by the Farmers' Defence Force movement.
According to a police spokeswoman, there were initially no incidents.
In the past, farmers' protests in Belgium have got out of hand, including objects being thrown at police officers and fires being set.
The European Greens said the demonstrators did not represent Europe's farmers, and criticized the protest. "In Brussels today, far-right activists disguised as farmers are trying to take over the streets," a party statement said.
The largest European farmers' organizations refused to take part in this protest.
