Some leaders from a farmers’ union opposed to a significant European Union free trade agreement, seen as a potential threat to the continent’s agriculture, were arrested as their tractors moved past police barricades into central Paris.
Farmers throughout Europe are protesting against the Mercosur agreement, which is set for a vote by the EU on Friday. This extensive free trade accord with South America is expected to inundate Europe with inexpensive food, raising concerns that it could decimate European agriculture. Highways in Greece are blocked as a convoy of tractors approaches Paris, resulting in a tense standoff with police who have been instructed to confiscate tractors from those who don’t comply.
The French government condemned the protests in Paris on Thursday, labeling them “illegal” and “unacceptable” after farmers attempted to breach police barricades to enter the city in defiance of government directives. Tractors are obstructing major roads, and protesting farmers have set up camp around key intersections and landmarks such as the Arc de Triomphe and Parliament House, insisting “we will not die in silence.”
Riot police deployed by the Interior Ministry confronted more tractors on the outskirts of Paris. Authorities were instructed to arrest uncooperative farmers and take their tractors, a contentious issue that has strained relations between farmers and the government recently, as these vehicles are vital for their work.
Some farmers were spotted with “Frexit” signs, indicating their strong opposition to EU trade policies, even suggesting a desire to leave the EU entirely.
Recently, local leaders from Coordination Ruralé, a more radical right-wing farmers’ union, were arrested, leading to more farmers blockading the city of Rodez in protest. Additionally, fuel depots in the Bordeaux region were sealed off.
Currently, while the French government seems poised to vote against the Mercosur deal within the EU, protesters claim this shows a lack of conviction and that the government isn’t advocating forcefully enough in Brussels. France is also somewhat isolated in its opposition, as the deal facilitates the exchange of high-tech and industrial exports in return for food, receiving backing from Brussels and wealthier European nations. A leader from France’s center-right Republican party has warned President Emmanuel Macron of impending impeachment if he supports the deal.
In Germany, farmers participating in Mercosur protests took to the highways with their tractors, blocking the A4 and A9 motorways. Farmers in the eastern city of Dresden also organized a protest today in the city center, with tractors expected near the notable Church of Our Lady later. In Catalonia, farmers in Spain blocked major roads in solidarity with the protests.
Meanwhile, in Greece, farmers are protesting with nationwide tractor blockades of major highways and junctions, opposing the Mercosur deal. They have clashed with police as the conservative government has ordered officers to stand by. Despite some last-minute government concessions, including tax cuts, many farmers believe these measures fall short. They worry about the Mercosur agreement flooding Europe with produce from countries that maintain lower standards and production costs. One protest organizer remarked, “If this deal passes, agriculture in Greece will end… Greece depends on agriculture and tourism. We don’t have heavy industry like Germany or France. The cost of production here is 300% higher than in Latin America.”
These protests have become increasingly common over the weeks, with tractor demonstrations integrating into European culture as rural communities resist what they perceive as the downfall of their livelihoods amid the politics of an increasingly urban-centric governing body. Recently, farmers clashed with police at the EU gates in Brussels, hurling potatoes and igniting bonfires in the historic square in front of the EU parliament in their opposition to the Mercosur agreement.
