Muslim woman mown down in hit-and-run during standoff over banned Brussels rallies

A Muslim woman was injured in a shocking hit-and-run as a car ploughed through a police line during a tense standoff over rival demonstrations in Brussels.

Video has emerged of the horrific moment when a white car broke through a police line, as a woman crossed the road.

The car then sped away, driving over her legs, as she lay helpless in the road.

The incident occurred as a standoff developed over plans by a far-right group to hold a demonstration in Molenbeek, a largely Muslim neighbourhood, in Brussels.

An anti-racist group had called for a counter-demonstration.

Both protests were banned by local authorities.

As officers drew their weapons to try and stop the car breaking through a cordon, the passenger of the car apparently takes pictures out of the window. Credit: Reuters

At one point, a car approached the police line, was hit by batons by the security forces and, in speeding away, hit a woman.

Although apparently seriously injured, the woman was conscious as paramedics attended to her at the side of the road.

Two local youths were later arrested.

Pictures taken moments before showed the passengers taking pictures out of the car window as the car ploughed through a police cordon.

The incident happened as riot squads engaged in a tense confrontation with youths as a far-right group held a demonstration in the largely Muslim neighbourhood.

The demonstration, and a counter one by an anti-racist group, had been banned by authorities.

  • Warning: Video contains extremely graphic images which some people may find upsetting.

The disturbance took place after police fired water cannons to break up around 450 protesters last Sunday, many of whom local media said were right-wing nationalists.

Molenbeek is where a number of militants who staged the attacks in Paris had been based.

Police said approximately 100 people were detained briefly but only two youths were charged with public order offences.

Separately, in the centre of the city, 10 anti-racist activists were arrested in the Bourse square, which has become a memorial to the victims of the March 22 attacks, which killed 35 people, and left more than 350 with injuries.