Agricultural Show: fights, clashes, CRS deployed… Emmanuel Macron arrives on site under high tension

Des heurts ont éclaté après que des manifestants ont forcé l'entrée du Salon. MAXPPP – LUDOVIC MARIN

Emmanuel Macron inaugure ce samedi 24 février à Paris la 60ème édition du Salon de l'agriculture dans un climat de haute tension avec les agriculteurs qui ne désarment pas, comme dans le reste de l'Europe, après des semaines de manifestations.

As soon as it arrives, as soon as it is whistled. President Emmanuel Macron arrived this Saturday, February 23 around 8 a.m. at the Porte de Versailles exhibition center in Paris to inaugurate the 60th Agricultural Show under the whistles of farmers in front of the gates, some farmers having slept on the straw

Salon de l’agriculture 2024 : l’entrée au salon bloquée par les CRS. Ça commence à grogner à l’extérieur ⁦@Salondelagri⁩ pic.twitter.com/ROoXt9pjC4

— Midi Libre Montpellier (@MLMontpellier) February 24, 2024

Farmers force the doors of the Salon

Several dozen farmers dressed in "We're walking on our heads" , named after this slogan created to denounce the administrative norms which strangle the peasant world, forced the gates of the Salon to enter before time. 

Des agriculteurs forcent les portes du Salon de l'agriculture pic.twitter.com/B5bA07Llya

— BFMTV (@BFMTV) February 24, 2024

Clashes and fights then broke out between the demonstrators and the security service, report our colleagues from BFMTV. The CRS were dispatched to the aisles of the show and several individuals were arrested.

"Macron resignation"

While Emmanuel Macron then met with union representatives behind closed doors, for a breakfast followed by a work meeting, the crowd continued to chant "Macron, resignation".

The question arose about shifting the opening hours of the show which is finally maintained at 9 a.m. as the organizers announced to AFP. However, certain parts of the Show will remain closed to the public. 

Follow our live on Midilibre.fr throughout of this first opening day of the Agricultural Show.