Czech farmers take tractors to Prague in a protest over EU agriculture policies

PRAGUE (AP) — Hundreds of tractors blocked a lane in downtown Prague in a farmers protest Monday over European Union agriculture policies and what they said were unfair practises.

Major organizations representing Czech farmers didn’t participate and distanced themselves from the rally after it turned out some organizers were behind recent pro-Russian demonstrations.

Traffic was not halted but City Hall warned people not to drive to Prague on Monday.

The protesters were planning to hand Agriculture Minister Marek Vyborny a letter with their demands. They particularly target the EU’s Green Deal, which calls for limits on the use of chemicals and on greenhouse gas emissions and want the country out of it. Some demanded the government’s resignation.

Other farmers groups said they planned separate demonstrations on Thursday with counterparts from neighboring and other countries.

Similar protests

have taken place across the bloc in recent weeks. Farmers complain that the 27-nation EU’s policies on the environment and other matters are a financial burden and make their products more expensive than non-EU imports.

The European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, has made some concessions over the last few weeks, including shelving plans to halve

the use of pesticides

and other dangerous substances. Nonetheless, the protests have spread.