- The protest occurred at the Bolou toll booth in southern France, just a few miles from the border
French winemakers have destroyed crateloads of Spanish sparkling wine in protest against cheap alcohol imports from the neighboring country.
Protesters this morning stopped several trucks importing wines from Spain at the Le Bolou toll booth, just 10 miles from the southern border between France and Spain.
They destroyed several wine shipments by smashing the bottles and pouring the wine onto the street. Some even opened the tap of a Spanish truck, spilling red wine onto the highway.
The angry winemakers also piled up several crates of tomatoes and tires to set on fire.
The protest is part of the “economic war against economic criminals who mistreat ruined winemakers,” said Frederic Rouanet, the president of a local winemakers’ syndicate.
Protesters destroyed several wine deliveries by smashing the bottles (pictured) and pouring the wine onto the street
A French winemaking group has organized a winery in Narbonne to promote the importance of Spanish wine. The winegrowers went to the coast of Le Boulou in Spain to counteract and invigorate traffic. As a result,… pic.twitter.com/XW5laNccqb
– Alt Right España (@ModoAlt) October 19, 2023
The protest, which saw the street painted red because of the spilled wine (pictured above), is part of the “economic war against white-collar criminals who mistreat ruined winemakers,” according to Frederic Rouanet, the president of a local winemakers’ syndicate
The angry winemakers also stacked several crates of tomatoes and tires to set on fire (pictured here).
The participants marched along the A-9 on the front line of Le Boulou, blocking access and rear, clearing all vehicles and destroying trade, including wine cisterns. pic.twitter.com/0L4PaLulSA
— Sr.Liberal🇪🇸 (@SrLiberal) October 19, 2023
“We will take away the ability to import foreign wines,” he added.
According to French newspaper Vitisphere, local winemakers were among the demonstrators who were largely left alone by police.
In videos posted on the social media platform
They also stacked hundreds of cardboard boxes full of Spanish tomatoes and set them on fire.
Some people threw more and more boxes into the flames, which quickly turned into gray smoke that rose meters high.
Protesters also set fire to a pile of tires, causing black smoke to rise into the air and be seen from several kilometers away.
Video from the scene shows flames eating through the rubber as two fire trucks approach and firefighters prepare to put out the blaze.
They also stacked hundreds of cardboard boxes full of Spanish tomatoes and set them on fire
In videos posted on the social media platform
Protesters stopped several trucks importing wines from Spain at the Bolou toll booth near the southern border between France and Spain this morning
French farmers destroy the cargo of Spanish transport in Le Boulou, northern Vecino and on the border with Spain.pic.twitter.com/RuKywsgrnY
— Fabián Pérez (@Fabian10_) October 19, 2023
Some people threw more and more boxes into the flames, which quickly turned into gray smoke that rose meters high
The demonstrators emptied the truck and threw the tomato crates onto the street
Protesters also set fire to a pile of tires, causing black smoke to rise into the air (pictured) and be seen from several kilometers away
Before the protest escalated, a delegation of winemakers from various local syndicates and unions met to discuss cheap Spanish imports that threaten to drive French winemakers out of business.
This is not the first time that French winemakers have taken a stand against cheap imports by destroying wine.
French producers were angry that their traditional competitors in Spain – and also in Italy – were exporting hundreds of millions of liters of cheap wine that had threatened their existence for years.
Dozens of people took to the streets in Le Bolou in 2016, stopping Spanish tankers and then emptying their wine onto the street.
Rouanet confirmed at the time that four tankers were emptied and 70,000 liters of wine were wasted.
His fellow demonstrators scrawled graffiti on the side of Spanish trucks with slogans such as “Wine not compliant” – they believe that Spanish wine is inferior and not made according to European regulations.
Conquering the bubbly: Angry French winemakers destroy caseloads of Spanish sparkling wine and pour gallons of red wine across the streets to protest cheap alcohol imports from the neighboring country