Violent clashes outside European Parliament amid massive farmer protests
European farmers took the protest near the EU summit in Brussels today, blocking roads with 1 300 tractors and clashing with police. The protests started earlier this month, but demonstrations have now spread across Europe as farmers from Belgium, France, Italy, and Spain demand help with taxes and rising costs. EU leaders acknowledged the crisis, amid calls for action ahead of European Parliament elections.
- Farmer protests have now become a pan-European phenomenon, with actions reported at key locations across the continent.
Farmers from across Europe, including Belgium, France, Italy, and Spain, converged on Brussels on Thursday, February 1, 2024, escalating their protests to a new level of intensity.
The protesters, numbering in the thousands and armed with 1 300 tractors, effectively paralyzed major thoroughfares in the city. Their actions outside the European Parliament turned violent as they hurled eggs and stones, started fires near the building, and detonated fireworks to capture the attention of European Union leaders gathered for a summit.
The farmers’ demonstrations, marked by attempts to breach barriers near the Parliament and the damaging of a statue, were met with a robust police response. Officers deployed tear gas and water cannons in an effort to disperse the crowds and protect the summit venue at the European Council headquarters.
The protests have not been confined to Belgium; they have become a pan-European phenomenon, with actions reported at key locations across the continent.
In Portugal, farmers blocked roads near the Spanish border, while in France, a massive convoy of tractors headed towards Paris, and blockades disrupted traffic around the capital. On January 31, the French government deployed armored vehicles to safeguard a wholesale food market in Paris, indicating rising tensions amid ongoing farmer protests. Spanish and Italian farmers are also joining their counterparts in Germany in the demonstrations.
The farmers’ grievances are multifaceted, centering on insufficient compensation, burdensome taxes, stringent environmental regulations, and unfair international competition. These issues have galvanized the farming community, leading to widespread protests ahead of the European Parliament elections in June.
Good morning, Brussels! This is going to be an interesting day…#FarmersProtest #Farmerprotest #Farmers #Bruxelles #FarmersProtest2024 pic.twitter.com/JYqOpibZmi
— Frédéric Leroy (@fleroy1974) February 1, 2024
pic.twitter.com/pG4ybfVqcO
— Inc.Monocle (@IncMonocle) February 1, 2024
The rubber bullets and water cannons are out in Brussels.
🇪🇺 A Molotov cocktail was thrown towards the European Parliament. #FarmersProtest2024pic.twitter.com/oF162wM0jd
— Expat in Poland 🇵🇱 (@BasedPoland2) February 1, 2024
The #FarmersProtest2024 are ongoing in Brussels. Situation escalating. THREAD: Right in front of the EU right now: pic.twitter.com/02RRgDAUgX
— Jonathon Van Maren (@JVanMaren) February 1, 2024
1,300 tractors in Brussels right now#FarmersProtest #FarmersProtest2024 #farmerprotest #farmers pic.twitter.com/HX7Po48jUg
— Frédéric Leroy (@fleroy1974) February 1, 2024
Despite the EU summit’s primary focus on aid to Ukraine, the plight of the farmers has forced its way onto the agenda, with EU leaders and officials acknowledging the need for discussion. Measures have been proposed and, in some cases, implemented, aiming to alleviate the farmers’ struggles. These include limiting farm imports from Ukraine, relaxing environmental rules, and in France, retracting plans to cut subsidies on agricultural diesel and promising further aid.
The farmers argue that these steps are insufficient. Their demands include more decisive action from EU leaders and the European Commission, especially in light of the upcoming elections. The visibility of their protest is underscored by banners with messages like “If you love the earth, support those who manage it” and “No farmers, no food,” highlighting the essential nature of their work and their demands for fair treatment and support.
The impact of the protests is already being felt beyond the agricultural sector, affecting transport and logistics across France, with companies reporting significant revenue losses due to delays and disruptions caused by the blockades.
References:
1 Farmers set fires and attack barriers near EU summit as anger spreads – Reuters – February 1, 2024
2 European farmers step up protests against costs, green rules – Reuters – January 31, 2024
Featured image credit: The I Paper (stillshot)
Dawnie – By “Globalist Masters” do you mean Industrial Farming? Do you mean Agricultural Monopolies? Do you mean Predatory Banking? Do you mean Corporate Capitalism? Do you mean disastrous land management?
“Globalist Masters” is a blanket boogeyman term used by people who tend to not really understand the origin, context or nature of the problems we find ourselves dealing with.
People had better stand with farmers, EVERYWHERE/World-Wide.
NO Farms = NO FOOD = YOU DIE!
Those who are STILL in denial, had better snap out of it!……in case people STILL have not figured it out yet, your Globalists Masters……WANT YOU DEAD! It’s a DEATH CULT!