Belgian Firefighters Hose Down Cops In Protest (VIDEO)

Many Occupy protesters who have been pepper sprayed or injured by police might be interested in what unfolded in Belgium as firefighters marched in opposition to proposed benefit cuts.

The Guardian and Russia Today have video footage of firemen soaking police officers with high-power hoses during a protest in Brussels. Russia Today's video shows police standing passively while their riot shields drip with water.

According to the Guardian, firefighters are upset over plans to raise their early retirement age.

The government's plans come as Press TV reports that economic data show Belgium was the first eurozone member to slip into recession in the second half of last year.

Belgium's planning bureau says the government must find 2.5 billion euros in either spending cuts or new revenue to close its current budget deficit, according to Bloomberg News.

Comments

[ddfdddfs]

04:45 PM on 02/13/2012

It HAS already happened. A NYC police conflict with OWS was diffused by a ranking "white shirt," who calmly instructed the riot police force -- who had been doing those weird lead-up-to-violence maneuvers -- to BACK OFF. They did. Then, the white shirt turned to the crowd and started having a regular human-like conversation. You know, the kind you have in New York.
Never miss an opportunity to notice the male that diffuses his cohorts. (They still don't listen to women). Ignoring these critical moments would be a mistake.

[SamKnause]

11:28 AM on 02/13/2012

I hope this catches on in the U.S.

The police need to side with 'we the people' so we can turn this country around and get on the correct path.

The Republicans are he$$ bent on destroying this country and countries around the globe.

[atexasdem]

08:57 AM on 02/13/2012

I notice the firemen did not turn the hoses on a focused stream. If they had chosen to, with the power of those hoses they could have easily knocked down or badly injured the police. Fortunately everyone maintained restraint and everyone went home wet, but unhurt.

[harold19320]

09:53 PM on 02/12/2012

the retirement age will go back down when the city burns and the fire dept watches it..

[stacknef]

02:46 PM on 02/12/2012

Once you go after firemen, the police aren't far behind....they should be sitting out harrassing protesters....

[DreamWeaver2nd]

12:28 AM on 02/12/2012

I like it!
We have OccupyMarines. Plus ...
Last year was the "Arab Spring" -
What will Spring 2012 bring in the USA?
OccupyFirefighters?

(Water would help to wash away the toxic weaponized pepper spray the militarized police have been supplied with from "Homeland Security".)

[dobroeytro]

08:20 PM on 02/11/2012

No police riot. They must not be getting their training from US police forces.

[gerorem]

04:16 PM on 02/11/2012

Hosed. That is the picture folks. What freedom looks like. The police knew that the firemen and they are the same brotherhood.

Just like the vets who defended OWS: "I went to serve freedom in Iraq--and come home to find tyranny?"

[roninroshi]

12:40 AM on 02/12/2012

X2!

[gerorem]

10:18 AM on 02/12/2012

Arrigato.

[Toyin Sonoiki]

06:12 PM on 02/10/2012

They are lucky that they are no in America. They won't be here today. We have a trigger happy wanna be hero, Police force in Ameica. I commend the Belgian police force, very cool calm and collected. You can tell they are a very civilized bunch, not the belligerent lot we have over here.

[Kathleen Morse]

05:41 PM on 02/10/2012

Ahhh. Does my 64 year old protester's heart good. Brought a huge smile to my face.

[schatsie]

01:09 AM on 02/11/2012

moi aussi.

[Red45]

05:40 PM on 02/10/2012

I've only been to 9 European countries but, without an exception, they are way ahead of America in so many ways. This is a good example of that.

[susanbsbi]

05:35 PM on 02/10/2012

Kudos to the fireman

[EminentFate4L]

05:29 PM on 02/10/2012

Sadly American cops would of probably shot the firefighters. Good for these Firefighters, a nother profession whose wage should mirror that of a Doctor, or Lawyer.

[Javi P]

05:28 PM on 02/10/2012

The firefighters would have been shot especially if it was LAPD or OaklandPD or NYPD.

[gerorem]

04:12 PM on 02/11/2012

Or......it would work. The USSR's downfall was when Russian police and soldiers saw that the crowd were their brothers and sisters.

[Eileenla]

01:13 PM on 02/13/2012

Right. We assume we "know" how our police will react in every situation, but we don't. Things can change on a dime, as the Arab Spring and the military defections in the Middle East made so clear.