France
Despite a massive police presence: protesting farmers break into the Rungis wholesale market in Paris
A large police force actually secured the Rungis wholesale market in Paris
© Emmanuel Dunand / AFP
The brewers’ protest in France has escalated at the Rungis wholesale market in Paris. Dozens of farmers were arrested after a major police operation.
Amid expanding farmers’ protests in France, dozens of farmers have entered the Rungis wholesale market in Paris despite a massive police presence. At least 79 farmers were arrested, the broadcaster BFMTV reported on Wednesday evening, citing the police. In a storage area of the There was damage to property at the wholesale market.
The public prosecutor’s office in Créteil said that 15 farmers had already been taken into police custody in the morning because they wanted to enter the wholesale market area with their vehicles. The huge transshipment center for agricultural products is a symbolically important destination for the farmers in France who have been protesting for over a week. The riot police protect him with armored vehicles, wheel loaders and helicopters.
10,000 farmers at farmers’ protest in France
In order to prevent tractor columns from other parts of the country from advancing towards Rungis, Interior Minister Gérard Darmanin ordered additional armored vehicles to the province on Wednesday. They confronted farmers with their tractors on some highways, but there were no clashes. Some of the farmers bypassed the police blockades and continued on their way towards Paris. Farmers have set up blockades on most highways around the capital.
A ring of blockades also closed around the city of Lyon on Wednesday. In the north of the country, farmers from Belgium and France blocked several border crossings between the two countries, as the newspaper “La Voix du Nord” reported.
According to Darmanin, around 10,000 farmers in the country demonstrated against falling incomes, EU environmental regulations and what they see as excessive standards. The government has already promised farmers comprehensive help. These do not go far enough for the farmers. France’s Agriculture Minister Marc Fesneau promised further support for winegrowers of 80 million euros on Sud Radio.