IN PICTURES: Champs-Elysées hit by hay fever as French farmers protest
Around 250 French farmers covered part of the Champs-Elysées avenue in hay early on Friday morning in order to give president Emmanuel Macron a "wake-up call".
Images showed around 250 farmers, lying down on bails of hay as they blocked part of the famous avenue in Paris from before sunrise.
Paris police advised motorists to stay away from the Concorde / Champs-Elysées sector. Riot police surrounded the farmers and their reports of tensions rising between the two groups.
? EN DIRECT - #Paris: Environ 250 agriculteurs (éleveurs et les céréaliers) défendent le #glyphosate sur les #ChampsElysées." @ClementLanot pic.twitter.com/JM8T1t5hDR
— FranceNews24 (@FranceNews24) September 22, 2017
"Macron is killing farmers" was one of the slogans they shouted hoping to "wake up" the president to the plight. Whilesome farmers protested, another delegation was due to meet Macron at the Elysée Palace.
Opération coup de poing des #Agriculteurs au bas des #Champs élysées, pour dénoncer l'interdiction prochaine du #glyphosate #Paris pic.twitter.com/7TE3hxvbdh
— Ulysse Paris (@ulyssepariser) September 22, 2017
Action syndicale @FNSEA @JeunesAgri sur les champs Élysée pour défendre la survie des #Paysants ?? face aux dogmatismes de @EmmanuelMacron pic.twitter.com/bgxEzmij3r
— Lefort Guillaume (@AgriAvenir) September 22, 2017
Farmers in France regularly stage protest stunts on the capital's most famous avenue and Friday's action was in protest against Macron's desire to ban the use of glyphosate - a herbicide that has been linked to health dangers including cancer.
Une délégation est reçue en ce moment à l'Elysée. Les autres manifestants attendent sur les Champs Élysées. #afp pic.twitter.com/EkrzQYi9Kw
— Margaux Bergey (@MargauxBergey) September 22, 2017
Une manifestation d'agriculteurs bloque l'accès aux Champs-Elysées - ladepeche.fr https://t.co/0VVEeSNriD via @ladepechedumidi
— ?????? ?????? ?? (@eaubio) September 22, 2017
The herbicide is the mostly commonly used in Europe, but Macron has signalled his intention to seek a ban on the product, which is an ingredient of Round-up, the weedkiller sold by Monsanto.
The EU has suggested renewing the authorization for glyphosate for a further 10 years but a vote will take place in October and France has said it will oppose the move.
"Mr Macron wants to be the the world's Mr Clean but he is the gravedigger of agriculture," said Frédéric Arnoult, president of Young Farmers union.
"How can we want to sell the dream to the French of a healthy diet, while they take away our means of production?", he asked.
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Images showed around 250 farmers, lying down on bails of hay as they blocked part of the famous avenue in Paris from before sunrise.
Paris police advised motorists to stay away from the Concorde / Champs-Elysées sector. Riot police surrounded the farmers and their reports of tensions rising between the two groups.
? EN DIRECT - #Paris: Environ 250 agriculteurs (éleveurs et les céréaliers) défendent le #glyphosate sur les #ChampsElysées." @ClementLanot pic.twitter.com/JM8T1t5hDR
— FranceNews24 (@FranceNews24) September 22, 2017
"Macron is killing farmers" was one of the slogans they shouted hoping to "wake up" the president to the plight. Whilesome farmers protested, another delegation was due to meet Macron at the Elysée Palace.
Opération coup de poing des #Agriculteurs au bas des #Champs élysées, pour dénoncer l'interdiction prochaine du #glyphosate #Paris pic.twitter.com/7TE3hxvbdh
— Ulysse Paris (@ulyssepariser) September 22, 2017
Action syndicale @FNSEA @JeunesAgri sur les champs Élysée pour défendre la survie des #Paysants ?? face aux dogmatismes de @EmmanuelMacron pic.twitter.com/bgxEzmij3r
— Lefort Guillaume (@AgriAvenir) September 22, 2017
Farmers in France regularly stage protest stunts on the capital's most famous avenue and Friday's action was in protest against Macron's desire to ban the use of glyphosate - a herbicide that has been linked to health dangers including cancer.
Une délégation est reçue en ce moment à l'Elysée. Les autres manifestants attendent sur les Champs Élysées. #afp pic.twitter.com/EkrzQYi9Kw
— Margaux Bergey (@MargauxBergey) September 22, 2017
Une manifestation d'agriculteurs bloque l'accès aux Champs-Elysées - ladepeche.fr https://t.co/0VVEeSNriD via @ladepechedumidi
— ?????? ?????? ?? (@eaubio) September 22, 2017
The herbicide is the mostly commonly used in Europe, but Macron has signalled his intention to seek a ban on the product, which is an ingredient of Round-up, the weedkiller sold by Monsanto.
The EU has suggested renewing the authorization for glyphosate for a further 10 years but a vote will take place in October and France has said it will oppose the move.
"Mr Macron wants to be the the world's Mr Clean but he is the gravedigger of agriculture," said Frédéric Arnoult, president of Young Farmers union.
"How can we want to sell the dream to the French of a healthy diet, while they take away our means of production?", he asked.
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