French fishermen launched a “symbolic” protest in the Channel Tunnel and the three northern ports France In a day of action against the British government’s ongoing dispute over the entry of French ships into the strait.
On Friday, the fishermen protested in the port of Saint-Malo, and then lit red flares as they headed to Calais and the Channel Tunnel in the afternoon.
Six fishing boats blocked the access to the port of Calais Europe From the United Kingdom, during the 90-minute protest, similar protests took place at Ouistreham Port and the road leading to the Channel Tunnel.
“We hope to withdraw our license,” one of the ships, Marmouset II, was waving an English banner with the words on it.
Olivier Lepretre, chairman of the Calais Regional Fisheries Commission, said that Friday’s blockade did not stop traffic, but was designed as a “warning” to the British.
He added that this is “a symbolic operation”, but if the controversy they say that the UK failed to issue a complete fishing license to the French continues, they will upgrade their operations and “show more More teeth”.
He said: “Britain can enter the European market, but we cannot enter British waters. This is abnormal and the British government must respect the agreement.”
The protest was to prove what the fishermen said of Britain’s contempt and humiliating practices since then Brexit.
Gérard Romiti, chairman of the National Marine Fisheries Commission, told reporters that all they wanted was to honor the trade and cooperation agreements reached on Christmas Eve last year.
He called the demonstration legal and stated that its purpose was to prevent “British malice” from prevailing in fisheries disputes and other issues.
“We hope that the agreement signed on December 24, 2020 will be respected,” Romiti said. “We don’t want handouts, we just want our license. The UK must comply with the post-Brexit agreement. Too many fishermen are still at a loss.
“We have been waiting with our breath for 11 months. The patience of professionals is limited. We hope to hear this warning,” he said, but does not rule out the possibility of further action in the future.
Romiti said that the dispute should be viewed in the broader context of tensions between the United Kingdom, the European Union and France over a range of issues, including the human trafficking crisis in Northern Ireland and the Channel.
“If the licensing issue seems secondary to some people at the European level, then it is part of the larger picture,” he said. “The long-term relationship with the UK depends on the resolution of this issue.”
this dispute It broke out after Britain left the European Union, and Paris claimed that London did not respect the post-Brexit arrangements reached on Christmas Eve.
The European Union has indicated that it hopes to resolve the dispute before December 10.
