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| Uber protests in Paris: Violent incidents as taxi-drivers take on car-booking firm | Uber protests in Paris: Violent incidents as taxi-drivers take on car-booking firm |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Angry Parisian taxi-drivers overturned cars and blocked access to airports and railway stations today in a protest against competition from unlicenced Uber cars. | Angry Parisian taxi-drivers overturned cars and blocked access to airports and railway stations today in a protest against competition from unlicenced Uber cars. |
| Riot police used tear gas and baton charges to disperse taxi-drivers who briefly blocked the Paris ring road with burning tyres. Suspected Uber cars were pelted with missiles or overturned. One taxi-driver was taken to hospital after being run-over. | Riot police used tear gas and baton charges to disperse taxi-drivers who briefly blocked the Paris ring road with burning tyres. Suspected Uber cars were pelted with missiles or overturned. One taxi-driver was taken to hospital after being run-over. |
| Two days after protests by ferry workers blocked the port of Calais and the |Channel Tunnel, the protest brought misery to travellers trying to reach both Paris airports and the Gare du Nord, the railway terminus for London and northern Europe. | Two days after protests by ferry workers blocked the port of Calais and the |Channel Tunnel, the protest brought misery to travellers trying to reach both Paris airports and the Gare du Nord, the railway terminus for London and northern Europe. |
| Some passengers, including families with small children, abandoned cars and walked along motorway hard shoulders to try to reach Charles de Gaulle airport in time for their flights. | Some passengers, including families with small children, abandoned cars and walked along motorway hard shoulders to try to reach Charles de Gaulle airport in time for their flights. |
| The anti-Uber protests in all French cities today follow judgements in French courts which have banned the practise of matching unlicenced drivers with would-be passengers by phone app. | The anti-Uber protests in all French cities today follow judgements in French courts which have banned the practise of matching unlicenced drivers with would-be passengers by phone app. |
| The taxi drivers – who pay up to 240,000 euros for a Paris private hire licence – say that drivers operating through Uber are ignoring the judgements and that police are not doing enough to stop them. | The taxi drivers – who pay up to 240,000 euros for a Paris private hire licence – say that drivers operating through Uber are ignoring the judgements and that police are not doing enough to stop them. |
| French CRS riot police arrive to intervene as demonstrators block Porte Maillot in Paris (Getty) | |
| There were reports of gangs of taxi-drivers “hunting down” suspected Uber drivers at Charles de Gaulle and Roissy airports. Limousines alleged to be operating for Uber were overturned at Charles de Gaulle and at Porte Maillot on the western edge of Paris. | There were reports of gangs of taxi-drivers “hunting down” suspected Uber drivers at Charles de Gaulle and Roissy airports. Limousines alleged to be operating for Uber were overturned at Charles de Gaulle and at Porte Maillot on the western edge of Paris. |
| Private hire cars, which are legal under certain conditions, were also reported to have been attacked. So were licensed taxis which ignored the nationwide protests. | Private hire cars, which are legal under certain conditions, were also reported to have been attacked. So were licensed taxis which ignored the nationwide protests. |
| One taxi-driver, Malia, 50, said: “Taxi-drivers have a big mouth but we are not usually violent. We have to feed our families and we have big loans (for taxi licenses) to pay off. We feel trapped.” | One taxi-driver, Malia, 50, said: “Taxi-drivers have a big mouth but we are not usually violent. We have to feed our families and we have big loans (for taxi licenses) to pay off. We feel trapped.” |
| Politicians of both Left and Right defended the protests – though not the violence. French social media, on the other hand, was overwhelmed by angry comments from disgruntled taxi users. One typical comment by “Victor” said; “I would like to feel sorry for the taxidrivers but I am sick of rude drivers, always on strike and much more expensive than in other cities.” | Politicians of both Left and Right defended the protests – though not the violence. French social media, on the other hand, was overwhelmed by angry comments from disgruntled taxi users. One typical comment by “Victor” said; “I would like to feel sorry for the taxidrivers but I am sick of rude drivers, always on strike and much more expensive than in other cities.” |