The French Interior Minister, Gérald Darmanin, announced on Sunday evening that 15,000 police and gendarmes would be deployed at the entrances to roads leading to Paris to avoid any tensions during the gatherings of farmers, who have announced their continued protests and plans to “encircle Paris” starting from Monday. The goal is to ensure that tractors do not enter the French capital.
Darmanin stated after a joint ministerial crisis meeting, “The first instructions given are to ensure that tractors do not enter major cities” and to prevent any breaches at the checkpoints set up by farmers.
He clarified that there would be no police intervention but rather securing the checkpoints established by the farmers. However, he warned against entering Paris, major cities, and interfering with international markets, especially the Rungis market, emphasizing that entering Paris and the “Rungis” market and Parisian airports are “red lines.”
The Interior Minister reiterated the government’s “understanding” of the anger and protests of the farmers, emphasizing that the basic instructions are not to intervene but to support and secure these movements.
Darmanin also warned of traffic disruptions on Monday at the entrances to the French capital, saying, “Traffic will be extremely difficult in the Île-de-France region tomorrow,” urging French citizens and truck drivers to reduce their movements as much as possible.
French farmers’ unions announced on Saturday the encirclement of the French capital, Paris, starting from Monday “for an unspecified period,” despite the measures announced by the government in favor of protesting farmers across the country for the past week.
In a joint press statement, the National Union of Farmers’ Unions, which represents the majority of farmers, and the Young Farmers’ Union announced the “encirclement of Paris starting from next Monday at 2:00 pm (Paris time) for an unspecified period.”
The unions stated that farmers from 17 different departments would be mobilized around Paris, warning that all major roads leading to the capital would be blocked. Young farmers in the Île-de-France region plan to set up checkpoints at seven gathering points tomorrow.
The farmers’ unions decided to continue their actions and set up roadblocks as part of their protest movements, which have entered their second week. They consider the measures announced by the government in their favor “insufficient.” Prime Minister Gabriel Attal had announced several measures in favor of farmers, including canceling the tax increase, even though it was included in the 2024 budget, on unused agricultural diesel not used on roads, which was scheduled to gradually increase until 2030.
However, the unions believe that the measures announced by the government on their behalf are “insufficient” and “did not meet expectations,” prompting them to continue their protest movements.
