Dairy farmers sprayed thousands of litres of fresh milk at the European Parliament building to protest against plunging milk prices.
Thousands of dairy farmers travelled to Brussels on Monday (26 November), aboard hundreds of tractors, for a two-day demonstration in Brussels.
The "1,000 tractors to Brussels" protest, organised by the European Milk Board (EMB), which represents milk producers from 14 countries, caused severe disruption in the Belgian capital.
Dairy farmers drove hundreds of tractors to the city's European quarter, which blocked roads and disrupted traffic on some of Brussels' busiest streets. Some of the tractors had been transported from as far away as Russia.
Farmers used cannons to spray the parliament with thousands of litres of fresh milk. And when police blocked their way, some aimed their cannons at riot police.
A trailer of hay was torched on the nearby Place du Luxembourg, where a mock gallows was erected that included an effigy of a hanging dummy of a dairy farmer. No arrests were made on the first day of the protest, which was continuing outside parliament on Tuesday (27 November).
EU milk is often sold at below production costs due to international demand and increased competition, which is threatening the survival of many farms.
For example, the EMB said the wholesale price for a litre of milk in Belgium was 0.26 euros (21p), but the cost of production is 0.40 euros (32p).
Dairy farmers in the UK recently received a price increase to 29p/litre from the main dairy processors, but Farmers for Action (FFA) said the cost of production was at least 31p/litre.
The farmers are calling for an increase of up to 25% in fresh milk prices to cover spiralling production costs. Thousands of dairy farmers have already had to give up their farms.
"When you see milk flowing down the streets of Brussels, it reminds you of the shortcomings of our politicians across the EU. It shouldn't take so much for them to sort of out a problem like this."
William Taylor, Farmers For Action
"European milk producers are facing a dramatic situation. For too long milk prices do not cover the costs of production and thousands of milk producers had to give up already," said the EMB in a statement.
William Taylor, Northern Ireland co-ordinator of Farmers For Action (FFA) and co-ordinator of Fairness for Farmers in Europe (FFE), attended the protest.
He said: "The European Union was set up to stop the frequent and bloody wars between neighbours, which culminated in the Second World War.
"When you see milk flowing down the streets of Brussels, it reminds you of the shortcomings of our politicians across the EU. It shouldn't take so much for them to sort of out a problem like this."
The protest revives memories of a similar demonstration organised by the EMB against low prices in 2009. On that occasion, dairy farmers poured out vats of milk and took burning hay bales and model cows to the European Commission headquarters.
EU farm ministers are due to meet on Wednesday and Thursday (28-29 November).
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