After the protests seemed to subside following the recent announcements by the French government, angry farmers gathered again on Saturday, February 17, to put pressure on the executive branch. This was particularly the case in the departments of Tarn and Doubs.
On Saturday, February 17, tractors returned to Gaillac (Department Tarn). The protest movement of the farmers had started there a few weeks ago. This time, the protesting farmers decided to build a wall in front of the Public Finance Center in Gaillac. “We are building a wall because right now we have the impression that the government, that Mr. Attal, is running into a wall, namely the central administration,” explained Marie-Line Bruel, co-president of the farmers’ union FDSEA of the Department Tarn, to the broadcaster Franceinfo.
“Nothing has changed in substance”
Following the call of the “Coordination Rurale,” 80 farmers also gathered in Besançon (Department Doubs) in front of the prefecture. “From the beginning, I felt that the government’s proposals were made with regard to the Paris Agricultural Fair to calm people down, but in substance, nothing has been done,” regretted one farmer. The farmers are still upset, especially because of their low income, and want to continue their movement to maintain pressure on the government.