Home Minister: “Mobilize 15,000 police forces… Order to block markets and airports”
Farmers’ group: “We will blockade Paris, the capital… We will go to Rungis International Market on the 29th.”
When French farmer protesters threatened to blockade the capital Paris, the French government took a hard-line measure.
According to foreign media reports such as AP and BBC on the 28th (local time), French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin announced that 15,000 police officers had been mobilized, mainly in Paris, after an emergency meeting this afternoon.
“I have ordered security forces to prevent blockades of the Rungis International Market and Paris Airport, which supply most of the fresh food to the capital and its surrounding areas, and to block peasant caravans from entering the capital and other large cities,” Darmanin said. . He added that helicopters would monitor protest tractors.
He also predicted, “There is a possibility that all eight highways heading to Paris will be blocked from noon the next day,” and added, “Car and truck drivers should anticipate the possibility of blockage.”
The government also decided to respond strongly to the announcement by farmer protesters, including the Federation of National Farmers’ Unions (FNSEA), a major farmer organization, that they would head to Paris, the capital, to continue the blockade protest. Farmers in the Lot-e-Garonne region announced on the 29th that they plan to use their tractors to head to the Rungis International Market.
French farmers are demanding that the government provide better compensation for the crops they produce, remove unnecessary regulations and protect them from cheap imports.
Climate activists also took action to condemn the government. Two climate activists threw soup several times at the famous painting ‘Mona Lisa’ on display at the Louvre Museum in Paris this morning, demanding the right to healthy and sustainable food. The soup could not reach the Mona Lisa directly and ended up on the glass that protected it.
They threw soup at the picture and asked, “What is most important? “Is it art or the right to healthy, sustainable food?” he said. “Our agricultural system is sick.” He raised his voice, saying, “Farmers are dying while working.”
Museum staff immediately isolated them and the audience. Afterwards, the climate activist was arrested by Paris police.
There are predictions that this protest will be the first major challenge faced by the new French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal and his cabinet.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.