Brussels anti-migration protest turns violent

Police have fired tear gas and water cannons at anti-migration protests at the European Commission in Brussels.

Flemish nationalists were prominent among the thousands of people who marched in the European capital, in protest at a UN migration pact that was signed earlier this month.

They were met with tear gas and water cannons, as riot police closed off wide streets in the city centre and confronted some protesters who had broken off from initial gathering. About 5,500 protesters took part. A counter-protest organised by left-wing groups and charities in the city centre drew about 1,000 people.

Demonstrators object to the UN compact on migration, a non-binding agreement among the majority of member states to cooperate in ensuring safe and orderly migration and upholding the rights of migrants around the world.

The compact, which was signed in Marrakesh last week, has been criticised by conservative and far-right voices who say it threatens national sovereignty.

In Belgium, Prime Minister Charles Michel was left leading a minority government after the Flemish nationalist party N-VA quit in protest at the signing of the deal.

Flags of a another Flemish group, Vlaams Belang, were on show at Sunday's march, where protesters called for Mr Michel to resign and accused politicians of ignoring the "will of the people".

In July, 196 UN members agreed the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.

It was signed by 164 countries in Marrakech last week, with the US and a number of European states - including Austria, Hungary, Italy, Poland and Slovakia - refusing to formally adopt the agreement.

The deal, which is not legally binding, seeks an international approach to migration that "reaffirms the sovereign rights of states to determine their national migration policy" and asserts the "fundamental" importance of legal migration.

But critics in Europe believe it will lead to increased immigration to the continent.