Which of the following statements correctly describes the mechanism of the reaction between benzene and bromine in the presence of anhydrous AlBr₃?

Benzene undergoes electrophilic substitution rather than addition because substitution preserves the stable aromatic ring. AlBr₃ acts as a Lewis acid catalyst, polarising the Br₂ molecule to generate the electrophile Br⁺, which then attacks the electron-rich benzene ring. Free radical substitution occurs with halogens under UV light in alkanes.