Watch: French farmers clash with police and dump manure in Bordeaux

Farmers formed rolling blockades, dumped manure and clashed with police in Bordeaux as they demanded action from the regional council.

The farmers from the Coordination Rurale union, which has a reputation for high profile protests, drove into Bordeaux on tractors from 06:00 today (March 11), where they gathered around the Nouvelle-Aquitaine regional assembly.

They then dumped manure and tyres in front of the building, where they were confronted by CRS riot police, who tried to disperse them with tear gas.

In a bid to defuse the situation, the regional assembly - which was in session - accepted that the Coordination Rural departmental union leader, François Turpeau, meet with representatives inside the building.

Speaking to the Assembly, Mr Turpeau demanded in particular that the region abandon its environmental protection plans, known as ‘Neo Terra’, which includes guidelines for stricter pesticide use, biodiversity checks and waste water management over the coming years.

Mr Turpeau was reportedly given a standing ovation by representatives from the Rassemblement national (far-right).

Following Mr Turpeau’s address, the president of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Alain Rousset, responded that he was aware of the problems that farmers face.

“We understand that the causes and consequences of climate change place farmers under pressure more than anyone else,” he said.

The president also committed to dedicating a full session of the regional assembly to the question of agriculture, although no date has yet been set.

Protests rumble on

French farmers have been protesting since January due to the accumulation of environmental regulations, the payment of European grants, supermarket prices and competition from cheaper foreign imports, which are not subject to French food production standards (on pesticide use for instance).

Prime Minister Gabriel Attal’s government has offered them many concessions, including:

• Payment of European Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) aid by March 15
• Ring fencing of €150 million for livestock farmers “from this year onwards”
• A “strengthening” of the EGalim pricing law to protect farmers' incomes
• A pause in the Ecophyto plan to reduce the use of pesticides
• The rejection of the trade agreement between the European Union and the MERCOSUR countries (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay)
• Extra checks on the French origin of products
• A ‘floor price’ for beef and milk
• A proposed EU-wide EGalim law

Read more: What is France's EGalim law and why does it matter to farmers?

However both of the main farmers’ unions have expressed dissatisfaction with the speed at which the government has backed their promises with legislation.

The Coordination Rural union, which splintered from the larger FNSEA farmers’ union in the 1990s, is known for its confrontational and sensational approach as well as for its ties to the far-right Rassemblement Nationale.

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