Thousands of farmers converged on Strasbourg ahead of a European Parliament vote, as police deployed tear gas and stun grenades to block protesters demanding the Mercosur trade deal be stopped.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
French police used tear gas and stun grenades Wednesday to repel farmers attempting to breach the European Parliament complex in Strasbourg, as protests intensified over the pending Mercosur trade agreement between the European Union and South American nations.
Demonstrators gathered ahead of a parliamentary vote tied to an appeal effort aimed at halting the trade pact, which critics say threatens European agriculture. As crowds pressed toward the building, officers responded with crowd-control measures after protesters attempted to force entry, according to accounts shared online and by lawmakers at the scene.
“Farmers are trying to get into the European Parliament. The police used tear gas,” Polish Member of the European Parliament Maciej Wąsik wrote on social media, alongside footage from the confrontation captured in one post and later another video showing the police response.
Organizers said roughly 4,000 to 4,500 farmers traveled to Strasbourg from across the EU, including Italy, Belgium and Germany, with French farmers forming the largest contingent. Protesters are urging lawmakers to block the Mercosur agreement signed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, arguing it would open EU markets to cheaper agricultural imports produced under looser standards.
“Even if some countries support Mercosur, within those countries there are MEPs who have serious doubts, and it could come down to just a few votes, so we need to keep up the pressure,” Hervé Lapie, secretary general of the National Federation of Farmers’ Unions, said during the demonstration.
The European Parliament is expected to vote on whether to pursue an appeal to the European Court of Justice, though passage appears unlikely. The parliament’s largest political group, the European People’s Party, has already indicated it will not back the motion, clearing the way for ratification.
Supporters of the deal say Mercosur would expand EU exports of vehicles, machinery, wine and spirits while lowering barriers to trade with Latin America. Farmers’ groups counter that the agreement would destabilize European agriculture by increasing imports of beef, sugar, rice, honey and soybeans that may not meet EU environmental and safety rules.
Critics also argue the pact undercuts the EU’s stated climate goals, noting that food would be shipped long distances while domestic “farm-to-table” initiatives are sidelined. They point to Brazil’s extensive use of pesticides and large-scale deforestation linked to agricultural expansion, warning that rainforest destruction could accelerate if the deal takes effect.
A French-German documentary examining agricultural practices in Brazil has highlighted that the country permits thousands of pesticides banned in Europe and has transformed vast areas into monoculture farms, particularly in states such as Mato Grosso, which activists describe as among the most chemically intensive farming regions in the world.
As lawmakers prepared to vote, farmers vowed to continue applying pressure, warning that the outcome could reshape European agriculture for decades to come.