Thousands of Spanish farmers stage a second day of tractor protests over EU policies and prices
ABC News
Thousands of farmers in Spain have staged a second day of tractor protests across the country
MADRID -- Mirroring protests across Europe, thousands of farmers in Spain staged a second day of tractor demonstrations on Wednesday across the country, blocking highways to demand changes in European Union farming policies and measures to combat production cost hikes and severe drought.
The protests led to several main national highways being blocked. Access to the eastern port of Castellon and the southeastern Jerez airport were temporarily cut off. State news agency Efe said that 1,000 tractors were heading slowly towards Barcelona's city center, causing major traffic jams on roads into the northeastern port capital of Spain's Catalonia region.
The protests, involving several thousand people on tractors and in other vehicles, haven't been backed by Spain´s three main farming organizations, which have called for separate protests in the coming days.
Several media reports have linked many of the protests Tuesday and Wednesday to conservative groups. So far there have been no serious incidents. The demonstrations are expected to continue over the coming weeks with a major protest in Madrid on Feb. 21.
Speaking in Spain's parliament on Wednesday, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez pledged to help farmers and take their case to Europe.
