A statue raised in tribute to a British industrialist has been pulled down as farmers protest in front of the European Parliament in Brussels.

The “steelworker” is part of the monument to John Cockerill, the steel baron who helped transform Belgium into a 19th-century industrial titan. It has been previously targeted by Extinction Rebellion activists.

A thousand tractors descended on Brussels this morning as farmers from across Europe headed to the Belgian capital to protest the bloc’s environmental regulations and net zero ambitions.

While demonstrations have largely been peaceful, tensions rose yesterday as 79 farmers were arrested for storming the Rungis international market in France.

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