Czech farmers dumped manure in front of government offices and blocked Prague streets with tractors on Thursday as they renewed their demands for more support, less bureaucracy and a halt to cheap imports to the European Union.
Farmers across the EU have taken to the streets this year, calling for the removal of restrictions placed on them by a Green Deal plan to tackle climate change and for customs duties on farm products from Ukraine to be reimposed.
On Wednesday, thousands of Polish farmers protested outside the prime minister's office in Warsaw, burning tyres and throwing firecrackers. Last month farmers in Brussels set tyres alight outside an EU farm ministers' meeting.
Czech farmers, in their third protest since mid-February, rolled into Prague early on Thursday, lining hundreds of tractors along a river road leading to the government offices and snarling traffic and some public transport.
Police said farmers dumped manure, leading to one arrest.
Agriculture Minister Marek Vyborny reiterated the government would not submit to pressure.
"I am ready to go and have a fair discussion with farmers," Vyborny said in a post on X social media platform.
"I expect an honest approach from the (protest) organisers who promised not to block traffic in Prague. I don't finding manure dumped on tram tracks to be such an approach."
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