240 people detained at Brussels protest against EU-U.S. free trade deal

No fewer than 500 people joined the protest, the Belga news agency reported.

Belgian police on Thursday detained 240 people who were protesting a planned free trade deal between the U.S. and the EU, local media reported.

The D19-20 Alliance organised the demonstration in Brussels, complaining on its website that the free trade agreement is being “negotiated away from democratic scrutiny” and influenced by “big business.”

No fewer than 500 people joined the protest, the Belga news agency reported.

It targeted a European Business Summit being held in Brussels, which was set to host high-ranking officials from the EU and U.S. for an afternoon discussion on the free trade deal.

Scuffles broke out between protesters and police officers, who used water cannon, Belga wrote.

A police spokesman confirmed to the news agency that 240 people had been taken into temporary custody and were expected to be released in the afternoon.

Among them were three Brussels parliamentarians affiliated with the Green Ecolo party, Belga said.

“We want to fight for the upholding of environmental and social barriers,’’ Ecolo leader, Olivier Deleuze, was quoted as saying, arguing that the free trade deal endangers European standards.

Consumer groups on both sides of the Atlantic have expressed concerns about the agreement.

But negotiators have said they will not seek to water down consumer protection rules.

The free trade deal is seen as key to the much-needed growth and jobs, has been a subject of debate in Europe ahead of elections to be held in the EU’s 28 countries next week.

At around the same time, EU and U.S. negotiators are scheduled to meet in Washington for their fifth round of talks.

A deal is not expected until 2015.

(dpa/NAN)