Protests have taken place in a French city this morning against agricultural policy as barriers were broken by tractors and manure dumped outside officials offices.
The majority of the protesters in the city of Bordeaux were farmers who were protesting against water and hill reservoirs as well as the "weakness" of the dedicated agricultural budget, local media reports.
The farmers, mainly from Gironde, Dordogne and Lot-et-Garonne, formed a convoy and drove into the centre of the city overnight.
A demonstration was held outside the local government offices, the Hôtel de Région where waste was dumped and barriers broken by tractors.
Waste was dumped outside the Hôtel de Région in the French cityGetty/TwitterA spokesperson from local police forces said: "Due to a protest movement by farmers, traffic disruptions are expected this Monday from 6am on the Eastern ring road in the interior direction and at Bordeaux."
According to France Bleu, the protesters demanded a meeting with Alain Rousset, the president of the region. Police officers mobilised in front of the regional council fired tear gas to repel the demonstrators who were trying to force the barriers.
TBM reports that there has been disruption on tram lines between Saint-Augustin and Sainte-Catherine.
Demonstrators said: "The region and its president are absent" adding that "regional standards [are] even harsher than French standards."
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French Farmers' Union group FNSEA President Arnaud Rousseau said there could be more protests
Reuters
Earlier this month, the head of France's largest farming union FNSEA warned that farmers could stage more protests and blockades in the coming weeks to push the government to deliver on its promises to help the sector.
Arnaud Rousseau told local media: "To expect that in 15 days it will all be over is a mistake. Farmers need something concrete...There could be a number of actions to make sure things happen in coming days.
"The embers are hot, this is not over...some regions are planning to keep up the protests.
Farm Minister Marc Fesneau, responding to Rousseau, said: "We need to keep up the work...it is up to us to lift doubts."
Demonstrations have been taking place for weeks in countries including France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Italy and Greece.
While some of these protests have been region specific, others have been a direct response to EU legislation.
In eastern Europe, demonstrations have focused on what farmers say is unfair competition from large amounts of imports from Ukraine.
There have also been concerns with excessive regulation, mainly at EU level as well as rising diesel fuel costs as well as climate targets.
