STRASBOURG, France (AP) – Dock workers fought with police and smashed windows at the European Parliament building yesterday during a violent protest over a proposal to liberalize port services across the European Union.

Strikes and work slowdowns also disrupted cargo handling at several ports as trade unions pressed their opposition to the plan even as EU legislators predicted it would be rejected.

Police used water cannons and tear gas to try to keep thousands of protesting dockers away from the EU legislature in this eastern French city. But the mob surged forward, hurling rocks, logs and metal fences to shatter glass over a 30-by-50-meter (98-by-164-foot) section of the glass-and-steel building, located on the outskirts of this eastern French city. The damage was estimated at several hundred thousand euros (dollars), the parliament said.

Workers in yellow vests accompanied by marching bands set off smoke bombs and waved banners saying “Victory to the dockers.” Some cars were set alight, and smoke mingled with the smell of pepper spray hung heavy in some parts of the town. The protesters moored a boat on the river outside the parliament.One policeman was hospitalized with a head wound, and 11 officers suffered light injuries, according to the parliament’s press service.

At least 6,000 workers from all major European ports, including Rotterdam, Antwerp, Hamburg and Marseille, and from as far away as Australia and the United States, took part in the demonstration organised by several trade unions.

“Viva la revolucion,” chanted Spanish dock workers, while the French sang national anthem, “La Marseillaise.”

The European Parliament looks set to reject new plans to liberalize cargo handling at EU seaports tomorrow, two years after voting down the previous draft legislation on port services.

The bill, tabled by the EU’s executive Commission, proposes opening cargo handling to competition, ending the situation in many European ports where loading and unloading is run by monopoly handlers.