icon bookmark-bicon bookmarkicon cameraicon checkicon chevron downicon chevron lefticon chevron righticon chevron upicon closeicon v-compressicon downloadicon editicon v-expandicon fbicon fileicon filtericon flag ruicon full chevron downicon full chevron lefticon full chevron righticon full chevron upicon gpicon insicon mailicon moveicon-musicicon mutedicon nomutedicon okicon v-pauseicon v-playicon searchicon shareicon sign inicon sign upicon stepbackicon stepforicon swipe downicon tagicon tagsicon tgicon trashicon twicon vkicon yticon wticon fm
22 Oct, 2019 15:23

WATCH farmers roll out HUNDREDS of tractors in German cities protesting new eco-rules

WATCH farmers roll out HUNDREDS of tractors in German cities protesting new eco-rules

Disgruntled farmers blocked traffic by driving tractors through German cities in protest of new environmental regulations aimed at protecting birds and insects.

The protests took place in 17 cities across Germany, with the largest rally held in the western city of Bonn, where the Agriculture Ministry HQ is located. Angry farmers rolled out around 1,000 tractors onto the streets, blocking several major roads and bridges.

RT

Tractors drove through other cities as well. Around 200 of them rolled past the iconic Brandenburg Gate in Berlin.

The farmers fear that the new environmental rules would damage their business. The measures, put forward by the government, limit the use of certain weed killers in order to protect field birds, like Eurasian skylarks, lapwings and partridges, as well as some insects.

The protesters say that small family farms will be hit the most, and demand the government to drop the “farmer-bashing” agenda. “We’re not animal killers and polluters,” the organizers said.

Amid the protests, Environment Minister Svenja Schulze promised to help farmers adapt to the new policy and invited them to discuss how to make their businesses “environmentally friendly.”

Also on rt.com What’s the beef? British farmers rail against Tesco’s VEGAN advert, but supermarkets have been squeezing them for years

Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!

Podcasts
0:00
26:13
0:00
24:57