Protesting farmers block Murcia roads with over 200 slow-moving tractors
Thursday, April 6, 2017 @ 9:49 PM
HUNDREDS of tractors blocked the entrance to Murcia city last night and today in a massive protest over water supply issues in the Mar Menor area.
They had been calling for a crisis meeting with regional agricultural minister Antonio Sánchez Solís and, when this was not forthcoming, took drastic action.
Various farming unions, companies – such as the international fruit and vegetable firm Proexport – trade associations such as COAG and UPA, cooperatives, irrigation communities, fishermen's societies, residents' associations and the environmental campaign groups Pacto por el Mar Menor and Ecologists in Action were behind the unprecedented demonstration, in which between 200 and 300 tractors in a slow-moving crocodile brought city traffic to a standstill.
After a whole night and Thursday morning's rush hour plunged into chaos and gridlock, Sánchez Solís finally agreed to meet with the farming communities.
They had spoken to him at noon on Wednesday and at 22.00 that same night, but reached a stalemate.
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