Protesting French farmers plan blockade of Paris

French farmers have begun moving towards Paris, threatening to barricade major highways and blockade the capital as they demand better working conditions, AFP reported.
Nationwide protests have been taking place in the European Union's biggest agricultural producer for several days, with farmers angered by insufficient incomes, red tape and environmental policies that they say are undermining their ability to compete with their less stringent counterparts. neighbours.
Across France, farmers used tractors and trucks to block roads and jam traffic.
This afternoon they plan to step up their pressure campaign by setting up eight gridlock points along the main thoroughfares to Paris.
In response, the government ordered the deployment of 15,000 police and gendarmerie.
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanen told law enforcement to exercise restraint, but also warned farmers not to interfere at strategic points.
"We do not intend to allow government buildings, tax collection buildings, grocery stores to be damaged or trucks carrying foreign produce to be stopped. Obviously, this is unacceptable," he said.
Darmanen said the protests would not be allowed to affect operations at Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports in Paris, as well as at the Rungis international food wholesale market south of Paris, where armored personnel carriers were deployed. police cars.
"The police and gendarmerie also have orders not to allow entry into Paris itself," the minister added.
The government is trying to prevent the spread of discontent among farmers ahead of June's European Parliament elections, which are seen as a key test of President Emmanuel Macron's rule.
During a visit to a farm over the weekend, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal again sought to address farmers' concerns after a series of concessions announced on January 26 failed to quell the crisis.
"I want to clarify things and see what further measures we can take to address farmers' complaints that they are facing unfair competition," he said. /BGNES