The tension is growing. While the convoy started again a little before 8 a.m. towards the Rungis wholesale market, 18 tractor drivers were arrested for “obstructing traffic”, Wednesday January 31, according to the Créteil prosecutor’s office to franceinfo . At the request of Gérald Darmanin, “Centaure” armored vehicles were sent to Loiret and Essonne in order to strengthen the workforce and resources on site, the Prime Minister’s entourage told France 3 Centre-Val de Loire. The instruction given is, again according to this same source, to prevent the procession of rural coordination 47 from reaching Rungis. They must act only in a defensive posture, with great moderation. However, if excesses are observed, it will be the responsibility of the organizers. Follow our live stream.
80 million euros in aid for wine growers. The Minister of Agriculture Marc Fesneau announced on Sud Radio Wednesday morning that the government was putting this sum on the table to support “all wine regions which are in crisis”. He added that Gabriel Attal would make new “proposals” to respond to the farmers’ protest movement “by the end of the week”.
Gérald Darmanin admits the existence of “double standards”. The Minister of the Interior presented Wednesday morning on France 2, in the show “Les 4 Vérités” that there is, according to him, “those who work, those who do not attack the police, who respect the public good.” “I refuse to send the CRS on people who are working”he added.
The tractors are getting closer to Lyon. Farmers continue their progress to surround France’s third city, after the blocking Tuesday evening of part of the motorway to the west, the A89. Portions of the highways in other directions (A46, A42 and A47) will also be “quickly” cut off at the start of the morning, the regional director of the FNSEA, Michel Joux, told AFP.
The Minister of Agriculture expected in Brussels in the afternoon. Marc Fesneau must go there “for a series of talks aimed at accelerating the treatment of European emergencies”his office announced Tuesday.