Belgian student protests against education costs echo France

Hundreds of students, inspired in part by student unrest in neighbouring France, have taken to ​the streets of the eastern Belgian city of Liège, with local media reporting ‌107 arrests in recent days.
Authorities have advised shopkeepers to close their businesses early, warning of riots. "Major unrest is underway. Close your businesses", Belgium's official government warning system BE-Alert said on Thursday. Liège's main train station was also ​closed but later reopened, local media reported, and police urged people to avoid ​the city centre.
"Due to the ongoing demonstration, avoid the city centre. Traffic ⁠there is severely disrupted", the police said on social media platforms.
Local authorities could not immediately ​be reached to confirm the arrests, which the Belga news agency reported were linked to offences ​including property damage and arson.
Students have protested over Belgium's French-language education system, citing rising education costs, overcrowded classrooms and difficulties accessing study materials.