'Under siege': French farmers encircle Paris on tractors in protest

Around 15,000 police officers are being deployed, mostly in the Paris region as officials look to prevent mass disruption from blockades

Protesting farmers on tractors have started to encircle Paris with barricades in plans to put the city "under siege" in a mass protest.

The angry French farmers also plan to slowly drive tractors, trailers and harvesters around the main roads approaching the capital, causing congestion as they go.

Farmers have been protesting around France as they ask the government to do more to protect the country's agricultural sector from foreign competition, rising costs and low pay.

A farmer sets up his tent on the trailer of his tractor on a highway in Argenteuil, north of Paris. Credit: AP

At Jossigny near the Disneyland theme park outside Paris, protesters blocked all six lanes of the A4 highway, parking their tractors so they formed what looked like an ear of wheat when seen from the air.

South of the capital, protesters used forklifts to deposit hay bales to block the A6 highway, broadcaster BFM-TV's images showed.

Some of those protesting are prepared to spend a long time with their barricades, having arrived kitted out with food, water and tents.

Around 15,000 police officers are being deployed, mostly in the Paris region, interior minister Gerald Darmanin said, as officials look to prevent mass disruption from blockades.

Mr Darmanin said he wanted to prevent a blockade at Rungis International Market, which supplies the capital and surrounding region with much of its fresh food, and at Paris' airports.

Farmers of the Rural Coordination union in the Lot-et-Garonne region, where the protests started, said they wanted to head towards the market on their tractors on Monday, while France's two biggest farmers unions said they would seek to block all major roads to the capital and put the city "under siege".

Farmers protesting have said that the war in Ukraine has driven up prices for fertiliser, energy and other resources needed for growing crops and feeding livestock.

They have also argued that the sector is overregulated and has been damaged by food imports coming in from other countries at lower prices.

Meanwhile on Sunday two climate activists threw soup at the glass protecting the Mona Lisa in the Louvre museum and shouted slogans advocating for a more sustainable food system and criticising France's farming practices.

“What’s the most important thing?” they shouted. “Art, or right to a healthy and sustainable food?”

“Our farming system is sick. Our farmers are dying at work,” they added.

Activists after throwing soup at the glass protecting the Mona Lisa, at the Louvre Museum. Credit: AP

Activism groups have accused the French government of breaking its climate commitments, while some of their sustainability measures - such as taxing diesel fuel used by agricultural machines - are among the issues the farmers are protesting against.

The protests have been mounting in the last week, with farmers dumping agricultural waste, creating straw bale barricades and causing enormous traffic jams by slowly driving tractors along main roads.

The French government responded to farmers' demands on Friday with a series of measures to cut down red tape in the industry, including scrapping plans for diesel fuel taxes for farm vehicles.

A gendarme walks atop a military vehicle at the entrance of the Rungis International Market. Credit: AP

Prime Minister Gabril Attal, who was appointed on January 9, wore a suit and tie and read from notes resting on a hay bale as he said the government has decided “to put agriculture above all.”

Mr Attal also said his government is considering “additional” measures against what he called “unfair competition” from other countries that have different production rules and are importing food to France.

He promised “other decisions” to be made in the coming weeks to address farmers' concerns.

Scenes of farmers protesting with their tractors have emerged from countries across Europe in recent weeks and months, with Dutch farmers having started the longest and most intense set of protests, which are still ongoing, in 2019.

Thousands of tractors rolled into Berlin two weeks ago, while farmers gathered in major Italian cities last week to protest against the EU's agricultural policy.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know…