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French winemakers riot in violent protest

by julianw | June 26, 2008 at 01:16 pm | 431 views | 6 comments | 9 recommendations

This story's just coming in from the wires. We want some other perspectives on the protest, so look out for reports and photos from people in the area.

Winemakers in southern France have burned two police cars and vandalized supermarkets during protests to demand government aid.

Vintners in France's Languedoc-Roussillon region have been protesting plummeting prices for their regional wines as well as rising fuel costs.

Top regional official Cyrille Schott says protesters broke windows at the courthouse in the city of Montpellier. In nearby Montagnac, protesters wielding baseball bats chased police from their vehicles and set the cars on fire.

Schott says protesters damaged four bank buildings.

julianw, I like this story. It's good stuff.

Here is what I found:

Drinks International reports: "Up to 7,000 angry winemakers marched through the streets of Languedoc Roussillon on Wednesday afternoon to highlight their struggle against debt and low prices for their wine. Riot police were forced to use tear gas to disperse a handful of protestors armed with homemade Molotov cocktails."

Thanks for the update Yuliya!

Full report (with photo) from website of weekly news magazine Le Point (in French)

http://www.lepoint.fr/actualites-societe/en-languedoc-roussillon-la-colere-des-viticulteurs-gronde/920/0/255779

In a nutshell: Wednesday-Thursday night

12,000 demonstrators took to the streets of Montpellier, according to organisers (4,500 according to police), attacked a supermarket, a tax office and a bank. Threw stones at riot police and were greeted with the inevitable tear gas.

A number of other mainly minor incidents in the region, apart from "attempted homicide" according to interior minister, Michèle Alliot-Marie - her description of the attempt by some wine growers to upturn a police car (with six officers inside) and set fire to it.

"Cannot express despair in such a way by risking the lives of the police," she said.

Demonstrators want the government to cough up some more money to help combat rising fuel prices. - Don't we all!

A sign of the times here in France (and elswhere I'm sure) at the gas station yesterday as I was filling up, I noticed that the maximum limit for paying at self-service pumps by credit card has risen from €90 to €130

julianw, I like this story. It's good stuff. One thing In have learned being in France, you don't screw with the French when it comes to Wine, Food, Sports or Women in that order.