French farmers will launch an indefinite "siege" of Paris beginning Monday, choking off major highways and moving toward the capital as they demand better working conditions.
The government plans to mobilise 15,000 police and paramilitary gendarmes in response, with the forces told to show "moderation".
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French farmers vow Paris 'siege' as tractor protest converges on capital
French farmers will launch an indefinite "siege" of Paris beginning Monday, choking off major highways and moving toward the capital as they demand better working conditions.
The government plans to mobilise 15,000 police and paramilitary gendarmes in response, with the forces told to show "moderation".
"We don't intend to allow government buildings, or tax collection buildings, or grocery stores to be damaged or trucks transporting foreign produce to be stopped. Obviously, that is unacceptable," French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said ahead of the planned siege.
"We don't intend to allow government buildings, or tax collection buildings, or grocery stores to be damaged or trucks transporting foreign produce to be stopped. Obviously, that is unacceptable," French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said ahead of the planned siege.
- He said President Emmanuel Macron had instructed the security operation to ensure both Roissy-Charles de Gaulle airport to the north and Orly to the south remain open, and the Rungis international wholesale food market south of Paris continues to operate.
The government has been trying to keep discontent among farmers from spreading ahead of European Parliament elections later this year, which are being seen as a key test for Macron's government.
- During a visit to a farm on Sunday, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal scrambled to address farmers' concerns, after a raft of concessions announced Friday failed to defuse the crisis.
- Attal agreed it was not right that French farmers were forbidden by environmental regulations from using certain products that neighbouring countries, such as Italy, still had the right to use.
'Change the software'
Arnaud Rousseau, leader of one of the main farmers' unions, FNSEA, said on Sunday that his members expect much more from the government.
"What we need are decisions that we think are going to change the software," he told farmers as he visited a group blocking the A16 motorway north of Paris.
"Your agricultural system is sick. Our farmers are dying at work," they said, before security cleared the room.
"What we need are decisions that we think are going to change the software," he told farmers as he visited a group blocking the A16 motorway north of Paris.
- Although some roadblocks were lifted over the weekend, many motorways across France were still barred on Sunday.
- The same day, two activists hurled soup at the glass protecting the Mona Lisa painting at the Louvre Museum in a stunt to call attention to the agriculture industry.
"Your agricultural system is sick. Our farmers are dying at work," they said, before security cleared the room.
FNSEA and the Jeunes Agricultueurs (Young Farmers) plan to start their siege of Paris around 2 pm (1300 GMT) on Monday.
Further south, officials in the city of Lyon said they were expecting farmers to also stage roadblock protests.
Further south, officials in the city of Lyon said they were expecting farmers to also stage roadblock protests.
Belgian farmers mobilise
It has become "impossible to earn a decent wage," said Pierre d'Hulst, spokesman for the FJA federation of young farmers, which organised the traffic protest.
In recent weeks, similar farmers' protests have also mushroomed in Germany, Poland, Romania, and the Netherlands, with far-right populist politicians trying to capitalise on the anger to rally against free trade agreements.
- In neighboring Belgium, farmers have stepped up their own campaign, blocking a key motorway on Sunday as they too demand better conditions.
- Dozens of tractors drove at a crawl through an interchange, halting traffic on the E42 motorway just north of Namur in the south of the country.
- Farmers protesting outside a Belgian football stadium also delayed a match between Racing Genk and Sint-Truiden by 30 minutes.
It has become "impossible to earn a decent wage," said Pierre d'Hulst, spokesman for the FJA federation of young farmers, which organised the traffic protest.
In recent weeks, similar farmers' protests have also mushroomed in Germany, Poland, Romania, and the Netherlands, with far-right populist politicians trying to capitalise on the anger to rally against free trade agreements.
While visiting a farm in northern France over the weekend, Marine Le Pen of the far-right National Rally party called for "allowing farmers to have an adequate income that allows them to live".
"Stop free trade agreements which obviously put them in competition with products that are not subject to the same burdens," she added.
"Stop free trade agreements which obviously put them in competition with products that are not subject to the same burdens," she added.
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