Police arrest 240 at Belgian anti free-trade protest

(BRUSSELS) - Belgian police arrested some 240 people, including three Green politicians, during a protest Thursday against a massive EU-US free trade accord in central Brussels.

Organisers said about 1,000 people gathered outside a European Business Summit attended by EU and US officials negotiating the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).

A police spokesman said the protesters tried to prevent the meeting taking place and did not follow the terms of an agreement agreed with officials on where the demonstration should be held.

"It is regrettable that MPs would act outside the law," said police spokesman Christian de Coninck, who added that all protesters were released once their identities had been established.

The EU says the TTIP will provide a huge boost to both economies but opponents say it will compromise EU standards and protections, opening the gates to a flood of US goods and business practices.