French farmers lift road blockades around Paris after the prime minister offers a support plan
French farmers are gradually lifting their roadblocks around Paris and elsewhere in the country
PARIS (AP) — French farmers were gradually lifting their roadblocks around Paris and elsewhere in the country on Friday, a day after the French government offered over 400 million euros ($436 million) in various measures meant to answer their grievances over low earnings, heavy regulation and unfair competition from abroad.
On major highways around the French capital, protesters took down tents, cleaned up the road and set fire to straw bales that they were using as barricades. Convoys of tractors were leaving the sites in a peaceful and orderly manner amid a large police deployment meant to ensure the security of operations.
Arnaud Rousseau, the president of the biggest farmers union, FNSEA, speaking on news broadcaster BFM, said “we now want to work” on the government’s proposals and take “concrete” steps within the next few weeks.
Rousseau said farmers would keep a close eye on whether the government implements its promises by June and warned that they are ready to protest again as the country gets ready for the Paris Olympics this summer.
