Columns of several hundred tractors flock to the center of Madrid in Spain’s largest protest against the crisis in the European agricultural region.
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Protesting farmers headed to the Spanish capital from five points closest to the city: Torrejon de la Calzada, Arganda del Rey, Robregordo, El Espinar (Segovia) and Guadalajara. As a result, many residents of Madrid are escorted by tractor colonies with national police vehicles. This moment for the gathering of all demonstrators was chosen by the Kingdom’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
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In parallel with these several thousand farmers, dressed in reflective yellow vests, gathered alone the queens from the five gates of the city of Puerte de Alcalá. There is a tense atmosphere in Tsar Square, with periodic breaks occurring between protesters and police officers.
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“We are seeing our markets being flooded with products that are produced to lower standards and sold at much lower prices than ours. This not only affects our ability to compete, but also poses a threat to our existence and the sustainability of our public society. These actions by our authorities are aimed at protecting Spanish farmers,” Burgos farmer Daniel Romero said.
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As a result of the protest action that took place throughout the capital, traffic in the city was partially blocked. In addition, the dealership had to reroute approximately 130 buses.
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Spanish farmers with tractors blocked roads across the country for the sixth day in a row. The protest demands include greater measures to ensure safety, improve working conditions, fair prices for their products, maintain tax credits for agricultural diesel fuel and modify agricultural policies.
