Woman killed after car hits roadblock set up by protesting farmers in France

A woman has died after a car hit a roadblock set up by farmers in southern France, as agricultural protests take over the nation.

“A car went into a farmers’ roadblock. It hit three people. One woman has died and two others were seriously injured. The three occupants of the car have been arrested,” a police spokesman said.

He said he could not immediately give more details about how the car hit the roadblock in the Ariege region.

Across the country, France’s farmers have been protesting over a long list of grievances, which includes bans on pesticides that are cleared in other countries, government red tape, unfair competition from Ukrainian imports and rising costs.

Many of these issues have also sparked demonstrations with farmers across Europe, with protests previously taking place in Germany and the Netherlands.

With President Emmanuel Macron growing way of farmers’ support for the far right ahead of the European Parliament elections in June, a draft farming law has been put on hold while the government meets with farming representatives this week.

On Monday, the leader of the biggest farming union warned that the farmers would protest “for as long as necessary”, with hundreds participating in roadblocks along highways and setting up checkpoints near the city of Toulouse.

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