Rural Coordination blocked in its mobilization — RT in French

France’s second agricultural union, Rural Coordination, saw its members blocked on January 5 as they tried to reach the capital to demonstrate against the treaty with Mercosur and for better living conditions in the sector.

“Rural Coordination will not tolerate French farmers being taken for goats” declared this January 6 on X the spokesperson for Rural Coordination (CR) Patrick Legras. A message which comes the day after a day of mobilization, during which angry farmers tried to rally Paris.

The CR had called, at the very end of the year, for this mobilization in the capital in order to make its voice heard if a meeting was not obtained with François Bayrou and his minister. “The idea will be to block access” to Paris from January 5, Patrick Legras told RMC on December 30.

After the Yellow Vests, the Yellow Hats?

This journey to the capital, however, proved to be strewn with obstacles, such as armored gendarmerie vehicles, which blocked the processions in several places on French territory until early in the morning of January 6.

On the union’s social networks, the CR denounced the use of these armored vehicles “to block and surround families and farmers who came to Paris to defend the France farm”.

The general secretary of the CR Christian Convers was also briefly arrested on the evening of January 5, while on his way to a demonstration in Paris, Place du Brasil, to protest against the free trade agreement between the European Union (EU) and Mercosur.

“The simple wearing of the yellow cap is subject to questioning, control, fines in Paris” affirmed the union, posting a video showing a farmer wearing this yellow cap marked “CR” being fined by a crew of the national police near the Eiffel Tower.

This January 6, tractors were mobilized all over France “on the way to Paris. “Don’t worry, there are hundreds who will arrive,” said Patrick Legras at the microphone of BFM TV. “We stink at that point, not having us there when this afternoon is the big java at the Élysée?” he continued, referring to the traditional galette des rois which must be shared at the Presidential Palace in the afternoon, on the occasion of Epiphany.

January 7 marks the launch of the election campaign for the Chambers of Agriculture, with votes expected between January 15 and 31. This will determine the new balance of power between unions in the agricultural world.