French farmers on Thursday continued blocking roads and highways in southwestern France despite the Christmas holiday, local media reported. The protests, which began more than 10 days ago, are directed against the government’s policy of systematically culling cattle herds following the detection of a skin disease.
Farmers blocked several roads and highways south of Bordeaux, as well as multiple locations between Toulouse and Bayonne and across the Pyrenees-Atlantiques department. In Pyrenees-Atlantiques, demonstrators were also planning a tractor parade later in the day, according to local reports.
In southern Toulouse, more than 300 people attended a Christmas mass organized by protesters, highlighting the persistence of the mobilization during the holiday period. Farmers have been protesting the government’s approach to managing nodular dermatitis, also known as lumpy skin disease, which involves the culling of entire cattle herds upon detection.
In addition to animal health policies, farmers have voiced strong opposition to the trade agreement between the European Union and the Mercosur bloc, which includes Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
