Brussels erupted in chaos as thousands of European farmers took to the streets on 17 December to protest the EU-Mercosur trade deal. Tractors blocked roads, and demonstrators surrounded EU buildings, clashing with police and prompting the use of tear gas and water cannons. Farm unions warn this could be the largest agricultural protest in Brussels this century. The unrest follows similar action on 16 December, when farmers blocked the N12 highway west of Paris to voice opposition against the deal, citing threats to livelihoods and unfair competition from South American imports.