Police scuffled with some of the 200 people converged on two squares in the EU district of Brussels to protest against what they perceived the rise of Islam as a significant political force across Europe. They handcuffed two leaders of the far-right Flemish Interest Party, which is very critical of Muslim immigrants, and took them away in police vans.

Protesters sought to use the 9/11 anniversary to point out that Islam threatens democracy and the rule of law in Europe.

The demonstration was initially planned by the Stop Islamization of Europe, a loose alliance with roots in Germany, Britain and Denmark which had predicted that 20,000 people would come to Brussels from all over Europe.

Brussels Mayor Freddy Thielemans banned the protest last month calling SIOE an inflammatory group and its proposed demonstration a threat to public order. An appeals court upheld the ban Aug. 29.

Only 200 or so protesters showed up Tuesday for a protest lasting only 30 minutes. The demonstrators faced over 100 police, backed up by water cannons and helicopters, who closed off streets around the EU headquarters.

"We support the goals of the demonstration to protest against the lack of freedom of expression in this country," said Frank Vanhecke, the head of the Flemish Interest Party before he was bundled off to the police station. "And we also we fully agree that the rise of Islam in Europe poses a risk to our values."