More than a month has passed since Spanish farmers began their protests. Last Wednesday, Spanish farmers protesting against government and EU agricultural policies blocked more than 30 highways and motorways, including the A-7 to the French border. Vehicles carrying fruit and vegetables from Morocco were looted on the roads of the border province of Girona. Later the same day, the Spanish transport union federation Fenadismer and its Catalan counterpart Agtc reported those responsible for the blockades on Catalan roads to the public prosecutor’s office, resulting in hundreds of hauliers being detained against their will.
Les #agriculteurs catalans bloquent de nouveau les routes. La frontière entre la France et l’Espagne est bloquée pour au moins 48h sur l’autoroute AP-7/A9. Des camions transportant des produits marocains sont vidés pour dénoncer la concurrence déloyale. #AgriculteursEnColere pic.twitter.com/rldw0wQKs5
— Anonyme Citoyen (@AnonymeCitoyen) February 27, 2024
“Given the refusal of the Catalan security forces to guarantee the right to freedom of movement and to allow the demonstrators to maintain their blockades for a second consecutive day, the complaint calls for appropriate civil and criminal measures to be taken against all persons and institutions responsible for these acts,” Fenadismer’s press release reads.
According to the organisation, the weeks of protests on much of Spain’s road network have caused unquantifiable economic and personal damage to tens of thousands of Spanish hauliers.
“The time has come to demand civil and criminal liability from those responsible for these criminal acts, who, by their actions or omissions, hold transporters 'hostage’, preventing them from carrying out their work normally and even threatening to cause material damage to vehicles and their goods,” concludes Fenadismer.