Police Warn of Major Traffic Disruption Across Brussels Region During 12 May National Action Day

Brussels police issued a statement on 11 May cautioning residents and visitors that the 12 May general strike and demonstration will create ‘severe traffic hindrance’ throughout the Brussels-Capital Region. Officers will deploy rolling roadblocks along the protest route and could extend closures dynamically if spill-over gatherings occur. The force encourages drivers to bypass the entire metropolitan area and signals that enforcement cameras will remain active even where traffic is slowed—meaning speeding through alternate corridors could still generate fines. Ride-hailing services anticipate surge pricing as supply shrinks, while urban-delivery platforms are reallocating bicycle couriers to suburbs to maintain service-level agreements. Employers with duty-of-care obligations are advised to confirm that emergency-evacuation routes for expatriate staff remain clear and to update staff contact trees in case mobile networks become saturated, a recurring issue during previous large-scale protests in the city. The police also note that additional demonstrations unrelated to the pension dispute may ‘piggy-back’ on the action day, a phenomenon observed in Belgium’s 2025 strike cycle. Corporate security teams should monitor local media and social channels for spontaneous gatherings that could block side streets or metro entrances. Although public-order units will be on standby, authorities stress that travel delays—not violence—pose the principal risk. Nonetheless, travellers are urged to carry photo ID at all times; spot checks are possible around EU institutions and foreign missions, which traditionally tighten perimeter controls during mass protests.