More than 500 farmers in western France are protesting against falling prices of dairy and meat products which, they say, are destroying their incomes levels. French pig and dairy farmers in regions such as Lorient, Bain-de-Bretagne and Chateaulin flooded roads and highways with litres of milk, dumped hay and set fire to tyres bringing traffic to a standstill as part of their ongoing battle with the authorities and police.
In La Rochelle, about 40 tractors blockaded the roads, with demonstrators following on foot, resulting in riot police being called to the scene while in Sarthe in Le Mans thousands of litres of milk flooded the road in front of the prefecture building in a further protest over working conditions.
Smoke rises above a fire as French farmers block highway access to Lorient, western FranceJean-Sebastien Evrard/ AFPFrench riot police react as straw is blown at them from a straw spreader machine as they guard the entrance to a Carrefour hypermarket, in Le Mans, northwestern France, during a demonstration by farmers against falling prices of dairy and meat productsJean-Francois Monier/ AFPSmoke rises above a fire as French farmers block the RN 165 highway in both directions near Lorient, western FranceJean-Sebastien Evrard/ AFPProtesters dump shopping trolleys filled with hay at the entrance of a entrance to a Carrefour hypermarket in Le Mans, northwestern FranceJean-Francois Monier/ AFPA farmer burns a flare as he and other farmers block the motorway in Quimperlé, western France, on January 27, 2016, during a protest against falling pricesFred Tanneau/ AFPFarmers ignite a fire on the motorway in Quimperlé, western FranceFred Tanneau/ AFPLitres of milk are poured onto the road in front of the prefecture of the Sarthe in Le Mans, northwestern FranceJean-Francois Monier/ AFPFarmers pour out litres of milk in front of the prefecture of the Sarthe in Le Mans, northwestern FranceJean-Francois Monier/ AFPA demonstrator prepares to throw a tire onto a fire as French farmers block the RN 165 highway in both directions near Lorient, western FranceJean-Sebastien Evrard/ AFPSmoke rises above a fire as French farmers block the RN 165 highway in both directions near Lorient, western FranceJean-Sebastien Evrard/ AFPGendarmes walk past a smouldering fire on the RN 165 motorway as farmers block the road to Lorient, western France, as protests continue against falling prices of dairy and meat productsJean-Sebastien Evrard/ AFP
The roadblocks, which originally began in Brittany on the 20 January, have now spread to other parts of France's western regions, as farmers raise awareness of the unfair conditions they are working under.
Barricading motorways and busy streets with farm machinery and burning tyres, farmers continue to demand support from the government over working conditions, which they deem as unacceptable.
Black smoke rises from a burning barricade as French farmers as they block a road near Le Mans during a demonstration to protest against falling prices of dairy and meat productsJean-Francois Monier/ AFPFarmers and tractors arrive to block the N137 highway in Bain-de-Bretagne, western FranceLoic Vanance/ AFPFarmers block the N137 highway with their tractors in Bain-de-Bretagne, western FranceLoic Vanance/ AFPFarmers block the access to the A84 highway in Guilberville, northwestern France to protest against their working conditionsCharly Triballeau/ AFPFarmers block the peripheric road of Caen, northwestern FranceCharly Triballeau/ AFPA tractor drives past a straw mannequin hanging from a bridge as farmers block with their tractors the N137 highway in Bain-de-Bretagne, western FranceLoic Venanvce/ AFPFarmers block the N137 highway with tractors in Bain-de-Bretagne, western France, during a protest against their working conditionsLoic Vanance/ AFPFarmers look on as their tractors block the access to the A84 highway in Breteville-sur-Odon near Caen, northwestern France, during a protest over their working conditionsCharly Triballeau/ AFPAngry farmers burn tyres during a protest in Quimper, northwestern France, as part of a series of farmers' actions in northwestern FranceFred Tanneau/ AFPAngry farmers burn tyres during a protest in Quimper, northwestern France, as part of a series of farmers' actions in northwestern FranceFred Tanneau/ AFPFarmers burn tyres while blocking a roundabout in Chateaulin, near Quimper, northwestern FranceFred Tanneau/ AFPFrench farmers are silhouetted in the light of a fire as they block highway access to Lorient, western FranceJean-Sebastien Evrard/ AFP
