French farmers begin ‘siege’ of Paris by blocking roads around captial with tractors

French farmers blocked roads around Paris with their tractors on Monday 29 January, as they pushed the government to do more to protect the country’s agricultural sector from foreign competition, rising costs and low pay.

Angry farmers have threatened to put the capital under “siege” and in recent days have set up roadblocks on motorways to highlight their cause.

France’s new prime minister Gabriel Attal sought but failed to defuse the protest movement last week with a series of pro-agriculture measures, which farmers said fell short of their demands that producing food be more lucrative, easier and fairer.