Dozens of French farmers protesting the European Union’s “green course” broke into a Paris agricultural fair on Saturday.
Clashes also broke out between the farmers and the police who tried to stop them.
Many of the protesters demanded the resignation of President Emmanuel Macron.
“Reuters” agency reports that at least one person has been detained.
Macron was also in attendance at the nine-day international agricultural fair, expected to attract around 600,000 visitors, to take part in a debate with farmers, food producers and traders.
However, the event had to be canceled because farmers’ organizations refused to participate in it.
Angry farmers across Europe have been protesting for weeks, expressing frustration with EU bureaucracy, new rules aimed at curbing global warming and imports of Ukrainian agricultural products that are undermining the competitiveness of domestic farmers.
Farmers’ demonstrations have already forced the governments of some EU member states and the EC to refrain from certain planned reforms.
Farmers’ protests in France, which included blocking roads and dumping manure near public buildings, had subsided after Prime Minister Gabriel Atal promised to implement a series of measures to meet farmers’ demands, allocating 400,000 euros.
But this week, on the eve of an agricultural exhibition, they resumed, with protesters putting pressure on the government to make good on promises and other demands.
On Friday, farmers held a demonstration next to the exhibition venue, where some of the protesters also spent the night.
Meanwhile, others took part in a tractor procession that went to the center of Paris, where the protesters stayed for several hours.
Political experts believe that farmers’ protests can also affect the outcome of the European Parliament (EP) elections to be held in June.
2024-02-24 20:01:40
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