Angry farmers clash with police near the European Union’s headquarters in a fresh show of force

By SYLVAIN PLAZY and LORNE COOK
Associated Press

BRUSSELS (AP) — Angry farmers are clashing with police in Belgium as European Union agriculture ministers are meeting to discuss their concerns. Riot police at concrete barriers and barbed wire fences on Monday used water cannons to defend the EU’s headquarters. The farmers are angry at red tape and competition from cheap imports. They’ve brought 900 tractors to town to help demonstrate their displeasure, snarling traffic. It’s part of a series of rallies by farmers across Europe, notably in France, the Netherlands, Spain and Bulgaria. The movement has gathered pace as political parties campaign for Europe-wide elections on June 6-9.