Dozens Arrested in Paris at Farmers’ Protest for Blocking Traffic with Tractors, Bales of Hay

France police on Friday arrested dozens of people at farmers’ protests for blowing traffic using the tractors and bales of hay during the rush hour, and disrupting the commute. The detention was carried out as demonstrators gathered in the Champs-Elysees in central Paris to boycott the ‘unfair’ government policies. Farmers have been demanding better revenue and living conditions, simpler regulations and better protection against foreign competition. They are also protesting against the restrictive environmental rules and competition from cheap imports.

Farmers block roads in vicinity of French parliament

As farmers blocked the roads at the popular avenue near the Arc de Triomphe monument, which is located in proximity to French President Emmanuel Macron’s office, police detained 66 people. Chanting anti-government slogans, the French protesters waved the banners on the avenue that read “saving French agriculture.” As many as 100 farmers “had gathered at the arterial roundabout from 3 am in a peaceful and law-abiding manner,” The Strait Times quoted a farmer identified as Axel Masson as saying. Many demonstrators were also involved in having a conversation with the cops, the report said.

“The Rural Coordination takes over the Arc de Triomphe symbolically and peacefully,” the farmers’ union said on the social media platform X. It continued that the protests were a cry to “save” agriculture in France and the farmers.

Earlier this week, demonstrations spread across several French cities, and the police were seen in the full riot gear deployed at the scene to prevent the farmers from getting close to Elysee. The demonstrators also demanded for the ouster of the French President and blew whistles to demonstrate their anger. “We won’t be able to respond to the farming crisis in a few hours,” Macron said. “It has taken months, years of work for those who came here to present their cattle, their work … This fair must go well and calmly.”