Angry French farmers storm into agriculture fair in Paris
PARIS — A group of French farmers stormed into a major Paris farm fair on Saturday ahead of a planned visit by President Emmanuel Macron amid anger over costs, red tape and green regulations.
Facing dozens of police officers inside the trade fair, the farmers were shouting and booing, calling for the resignation of Macron and using expletives aimed at the French leader.
“This is our home,” they shouted, as lines of French CRS riot police sought to contain the demonstration. There were some clashes with demonstrators and the police arrested at least one of them, a Reuters witness saw.
Pascal Beteille, one of the demonstrators, said he did not expect anything from Macron’s visit.
“This is our home and he’s welcoming us with CRS,” he told Reuters.
Macron, who met French farmers’ union leaders over breakfast, was scheduled to walk within the alleys of the trade fair afterward.
“I’m saying this for all farmers: you’re not helping any of your colleagues by smashing up stands, you’re not helping any of your colleagues by making the show impossible, and in a way scaring families away from coming,” Macron told reporters after his meeting with union leaders.
The protests delayed the opening of the show to the public by at least an hour.
The French president said he would convene farmers’ union representatives and other stakeholders of the sector at the Elysee palace in three weeks after he cancelled a debate he wanted to hold at the fair with farmers, food processors and retailers.
He denied a reports that he planned to invite controversial environmentalist group Soulevements de la Terre to that debate, which had further stirred anger among French farmers.