France: 18 Arrested as Farmers Blockade Vegetable Market

Facts

• French police on Wednesday arrested 18 people for 'interfering with traffic' after protesting farmers blocked the Rungis wholesale food market near Paris — a major supply point for the 12M residents of the French capital region.¹
• An additional 200 to 300 tractors coming from the southwest were blocked by police along the A6 highway leading to Rungis, with police checkpoints deployed around the market.²
• Farmer unions have been demanding higher incomes, less red tape, and protection from foreign competition. Despite assurances made by Pres. Emmanuel Macron's government — including a promise to prevent a trade deal between the EU and South America — a reported 10K farmers set out along French roads Wednesday.³
• Police are trying to keep the tractor convoys away from the urban centers, including airports and other strategic spots, utilizing armored vehicles, as well as checkpoints to block their path.²
• Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin estimated around 10K of them were blocking some 100 spots on French roads. The cities targeted by the protesters included Lyon and Toulouse, besides Paris itself.³
• Anger among farmers has been brewing across Europe in recent weeks. Besides France, agriculturists in Germany, Poland, Romania, Belgium, Italy, Spain, and other countries have also expressed discontent in recent days.¹

Sources: ¹France 24, ²Barrons and ³Le Monde.fr.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by Times. These protesters have genuine grievances that must be tackled, but the growing threat of violence is also a cause for worry. French farmers mean it much more than their peers in other countries when they warn of 'direct action,' and the size of the protests this time around is ominous. This is despite the government making the right promises, including protections against imports.
• Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Le Figaro. The government is not meeting the farmers' needs, this protest enjoys widespread grassroots support — 89% according to one estimate — even from outside the farming circle. The farmers' call to save the rural way of life is resonating with a wide section of French society. Even 81% of the ruling party supports this movement, showing popular disdain for the new prime minister and his policies.

Predictions