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Snow-dusted tractors lined up outside the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, and nighttime protests in Romania marked by vivid national flags have become markers of a farmer protest movement across Europe.
The biggest demonstrations have been seen in France, where farmers blocked highways around Paris with their tractors, but the dayslong protests have spread across the European Union, highlighting deep-seated grievances within the agricultural sector.
The movement, triggered by concerns over low wages, heavy regulation and cheap imports, has involved farmers from Spain, Italy, Germany, Romania and Greece calling for action.
Lines of tractors rolled menacingly across a residential street in Poland and across a German bridge, while farming protesters in Italy burned spectacular nighttime fires by stone statues.
FILE – Farmers have parked their tractors on a small bridge over a highway in Frankfurt, Germany, Friday, Jan. 26, 2024. The farmers protest against the government’s plan to scrap tax breaks on the diesel they use. (AP Photo/Michael Probst, File)
Convoys with hundreds of angry farmers driving heavy-duty tractors created chaos outside the European Union’s headquarters on Thursday demanding leaders at an EU summit provide relief from rising prices and bureaucracy.
It made for a dramatic display, creating disruptions and bringing the disgruntled farmers’ demands directly to the heart of EU policymaking.
Meanwhile, there were traffic barricades on highways around Paris amid a large police presence as French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal announced measures to quell the unrest.
FILE – Farmers with tractors protest at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday Jan. 16, 2024. Snow-dusted tractors lined up outside the Brandenburg Gate and nighttime protests in Romania marked by vivid national flags have become markers of a widespread farmer protest movement across Europe. (Kay Nietfeld/dpa via AP, File)
FILE – Farmers sit on a highway after spending the night at a barricade in Aix-en-Provence, southern France, Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. France’s protesting farmers encircle Paris with tractor barricades, vowing a ‘siege’ over grievances. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole, File)
FILE – A farmer checks his phone as a tractor casts its shadow under a bridge on a blocked highway, Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024 in Chilly-Mazarin, south of Paris. French farmers maintained their protests on major roads around Paris and across the country on Wednesday as police was deployed to protect the capital, its airports and an international market. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, File)
FILE – People watch slurry, manure and tyres dumped by farmers at the entrance of the local state administration building, in Agen, southwestern France, Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024. French farmers have vowed to continue protesting and are maintaining traffic barricades on some of the country’s major roads. The government announced a series of measures Friday, Jan. 26, 2024, but the farmers say these do not fully address their demands. (AP Photo/Fred Scheiber, File)
FILE – A man waves a flag next to a line of tractors blocking the first lane of a road leading to Bucharest, in Afumati, Romania, Monday, Jan. 15, 2024. Snow-dusted tractors lined up outside the Brandenburg Gate and nighttime protests in Romania marked by vivid national flags have become markers of a widespread farmer protest movement across Europe. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru, File)
FILE – Farmers line up with their tractors on the high speed road in Orte, Italy, Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024. Farmers have been protesting in various parts of Italy and Europe against EU agriculture policies. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, File)
FILE – A delegation from the Belgian Young Farmers association blocks the main highway between Paris and Brussels in Halle, just outside the Belgian capital, Tuesday, Jan.30, 2024, for a third day in a row. Like their fellow farmers from across the European Union they demand less bureaucracy and more money for their produce. (AP Photo/Raf Casert, File)
FILE – Farmers occupy a highway with their tractors, in Ourdy, south of Paris, Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024. With protesting farmers camped out at barricades around Paris, France’s government hoped to calm their anger with more concessions Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024, to their complaints that growing and rearing food has become too difficult and not sufficiently lucrative. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)
FILE – Protesting farmers in Poland are slow-driving their tractors on a road in Deblin, Poland, Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024 to disturb traffic and draw attention to their disagreement to European Union regulations. Such protests were held across Poland. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski, File)
FILE – Anti riot police use water to disperse people during a protest by farmers outside the European Parliament as European leaders meet for an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla, File)