AP: Farmers on tractors create chaos outside an EU summit to protest rising costs and bureaucracy


COGwriter

Many farmers in Europe are upset with aspects and programs of the European Union. The Associated Press reported the following:

Farmers on tractors create chaos outside an EU summit to protest rising costs and bureaucracy

February 1, 2024

BRUSSELS (AP) — Farmers in convoys of tractors created chaos outside the European Union’s headquarters on Thursday, pelting police with firecrackers, eggs and beer bottles as they demanded leaders at an EU summit provide relief from rising prices and bureaucracy.

With thick smoke from burning bales of hay hanging over parts of the Belgian capital, security forces used water cannons to douse fires and keep a farmer from felling a tree on the steps of the European Parliament. They could not prevent one bronze statue being pulled off its pedestal and scorched.

Thursday’s are the culmination of weeks of protests around the bloc, whose farmers say it’s becoming harder than ever to make a decent living as energy and fertilizer costs surge because of Russia’s war in Ukraine, more and cheaper farm imports make it hard to compete, and climate change-fueled droughts, floods or fires destroy crops. …

Earlier in the week, the government in France, where the protests have been particularly disruptive, showered farmers with promises of help, including emergency cash aid and controls on imported food. On Thursday, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal proposed even more measures, including allowing farmers to use more pesticides if other nations do the same and offering them more financial aid and tax breaks.

The farmers also pushed their way onto the agenda at Thursday’s EU summit, which … Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said the farmers’ demands need to be addressed. https://apnews.com/article/eu-farmers-protest-summit-4f3912f5c98a73bc550f1f38ca9e60bb

Here is something from the German press about this:

Farmers protest in Brussels amid EU summit

1 February 2024

Farmers have blocked roads leading to a European Union summit in Brussels on Thursday, using some 1,000 tractors, Belgian police said.

A police spokesman told the French AFP news agency that “there are 1,000 tractors or agricultural machinery.”

Angry farmers are complaining about taxes, rising costs, cheap imports, rules and bureaucracy. They are hoping their protests will make their voices heard at the summit.

What happened at the protests?

Riot police stood guard behind barriers where EU leaders are meeting, only a few blocks from the European Parliament building surrounded by tractors.

Some protesting farmers threw eggs at the parliament building, while others set off fireworks and started fires. Police responded by using tear gas and water cannons. A statue on the square was seen damaged.

One tractor displayed a banner saying: “If you love the earth, support those who manage it.” Another banner read: “No farmers, no food.” …

Farmers argue their pay is inadequate and that taxes and green rules are suffocating them, as they face unfair competition from abroad. …

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said: “To the farmers that are outside. We see you and we hear you.”

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has disagreed with other EU leaders on various issues, including Ukraine, made a point of meeting farmers overnight. …

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar voiced opposition to signing a trade deal with the Mercosur group of South American countries in its current form — another key demand for farmers.

“The priority for us should be implementing existing rules and regulations and not imposing new additional ones on farmers over the next couple of years,” he said. https://www.dw.com/en/farmers-protest-in-brussels-amid-eu-summit/a-68141511

EU farmers want, among other things, that the rules that they must live under be placed on nations outside of the EU so that imported foods are not cheaper than what they produce. They also want the EU to change many of its proposed and actual climate policies.

UPDATE 1030:

February 1, 2024

Rubber bullets and water cannons were deployed against hundreds of European farmers protesting outside the EU Parliament building in Brussels on Thursday. The farmers threw eggs, set off fireworks, and started fires near the building while demanding that European leaders stop punishing them with more taxes and rising costs imposed to finance a so-called ‘green agenda.’ https://www.zerohedge.com/political/chaos-erupts-brussels-rubber-bullets-fired-farmers-protesting-outside-eu-parliament

Things have seemingly heated up in Belgium. Oddly, this part of the story would NOT come up with Google News.

Farmers being upset with the EU is not a new matter.

Last year, Dutch farmers and others were protesting proposed government restrictions and policies:

Farmers, environmental activists hold demos in The Hague

March 11, 2023

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Thousands of farmers and anti-establishment demonstrators protested Saturday in a park in The Hague against Dutch government plans to reduce nitrate emissions, while climate activists angry at what they call state support for the fossil fuel industry broke through police lines to block a major road elsewhere in the city.

The simultaneous demonstrations a few kilometers (miles) from each other took place days before Dutch voters go to the polls in provincial elections. The elections on Wednesday indirectly also indirectly select members of the national parliament’s upper house and could have an effect on proposals for reducing nitrate pollution.

Police said they stopped an unknown number of tractors that were headed for the farmers’ demonstration. The city banned all but two “symbolic” tractors from participating, citing safety concerns.

Thousands of people, many carrying the upside-down Dutch flags that have become synonymous with farmers’ protests and balloons emblazoned with the logo of the far-right Forum for Democracy party, gathered peacefully in front of a park stage for the demonstration. The two permitted tractors drove slowly across the park.

Earlier, Dutch broadcaster Rijnmond showed video of a convoy of tractors crossing Rotterdam’s Erasmus Bridge early Saturday, apparently on their way to The Hague. One of the tractors was emblazoned with a banner saying in Dutch “#proudofthefarmer.”

As the farmers gathered in the park in the south of the city, Mayor Jan van Zanen gave police permission to use a water cannon on Extinction Rebellion protesters who blocked a major highway in the downtown area near where it runs past the temporary home of the Dutch parliament.

Police said demonstrators who refused to leave the road would be detained. https://www.baynews9.com/fl/tampa/ap-top-news/2023/03/11/tractors-head-to-the-hague-defying-ban-on-farms-protest

March 11, 2023

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – Hundreds of Dutch farmers carrying flags and banners began gathering in The Hague on Saturday for a protest against government plans to limit nitrogen emissions, a policy they say will spell the end of many farms.

In a separate protest ahead of the country’s March 15 regional elections, environmentalists were expected to block a major thoroughfare in the city later in the day to protest tax rules they say encourage the use of fossil fuels.

Farmer say the government plans to limit nitrogen pollution would lead to the closure of many livestock farms and reduced fertilizer use. Similar protests were held by farmers in Belgium this month against a regional government plan to limit nitrogen emissions. https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2023-03-11/dutch-farmers-climate-activists-get-ready-for-pre-election-protests

With food shortages and food price inflation in many places, governments should often give more consideration to the positions of farmers.

Last year, I wrote

Expect more protests in Europe. Expect more protests in the Netherlands. Expect more protests in Belgium. (Thiel B. Massive protest by Dutch farmers. COGwriter, March 11, 2023)

That, of course, has happened.

Earlier, on September 26, 2012, I warned (see Protests and Unrest in Spain and Greece):

I expect more civil unrest in Europe. Specifically more in Greece and Spain, as well as Eastern Europe. But I also expect that even in countries like Germany, Austria, and/or the Netherlands and elsewhere there will be unrest, including violent unrest.

Expanded civil unrest will have major impacts on the euro and on Europe itself. It is highly likely to propel a European leader to rise up. The final leader will be the one known as the Beast (Revelation 13:3-4) and final King of the North (Daniel 11:22-44) of Bible prophecy.

Europe is prophesied to have problems (Daniel 2:41-43) and not all the problems have happened yet. Spain and other parts of Europe are likely to have even more significant civil unrest before a strong leader is granted power (cf. Revelation 17:12-13).

Protests in Europe are not over.

Presuming civil war/riots/civil unrest do occur in various parts of Europe on a larger scale, this likely will set the stage for the rising up of a military leader to resolve this.

Once there is major civil unrest across Europe, that would seem to indicate that the final King of the North would rise up fairly soon.

The Bible tells of a basically European kingdom that will be partially strong, partially weak, and with a fragile unity (Daniel 2:41-43), but that will have a frightening type of economic dominance (see Revelation chapters 13,17,18).

A major reorganization is prophesied to happen and push Europe under totalitarian control (Revelation 17:12-13).

Such will not happen until after the ride of all four of horsemen of the Apocalypse will have begun their rides. There will be protests and civil unrest.

Europe’s “solution” to the coming crises will be to turn to a dictator that the Bible warns against.

This will bring prosperity to some and destruction to others (cf. Daniel 11:36-43; Revelation 18).

But in the end, Jesus will defeat the reorganized Europe as the following points out:

12 “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.” (Revelation 17:12-14)

Then, Jesus will establish the millennial Kingdom of God.

So, there is good news coming, despite various protests and counter-protests.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse What do each of the four horseman of the Apocalypse represent? Have they began their ride? Did Jesus discuss the any of this? Might their rides coincide with the “beginning of sorrows? Do they start their ride prior to the Great Tribulation? Did Nostradamus or any other ‘private prophets’ write predictions that may mislead people so that they may not understand the truth of one or more of the four horseman? There is also a related YouTube video titled Sorrows and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe? Here is are links to related videos: European history and the Bible, Europe In Prophecy, The End of European Babylon, and Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European? Here is a link to a related sermon in the Spanish language: El Fin de la Babilonia Europea.
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States? In the Spanish language check out ¿Quién es el Rey del Norte? Here are links to three related videos: The King of the North is Alive: What to Look Out For. The Future King of the North, and Rise of the Prophesied King of the North.
The Great Monarch: Biblical and Greco-Roman Catholic Prophecies Is the ‘Great Monarch’ of Greco-Roman Catholic prophecies endorsed or condemned by the Bible? Two sermons of related interest are also available: Great Monarch: Messiah or False Christ? and Great Monarch in 50+ Beast Prophecies.
Must the Ten Kings of Revelation 17:12 Rule over Ten Currently Existing Nations? Some claim that these passages refer to a gathering of 10 currently existing nations together, while one group teaches that this is referring to 11 nations getting together. Is that what Revelation 17:12-13 refers to? The ramifications of misunderstanding this are enormous. A related sermon is titled Ten Kings of Revelation and the Great Tribulation.
Did The Early Church Teach Millenarianism? Was the millennium (sometimes called chiliasm) taught by early Christians? Who condemned it? Will Jesus literally reign for 1000 years on the earth? Is this time near? Three related sermons are available Let’s Talk About the Earthly Millennium, Millennial Utopia, and The Millennium.
Could God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2031 or 2025 or? There is also a video titled: When Does the 6000 Years End? 2031? 2035? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2024, 2025, or 2026? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede la Gran Tribulación comenzar en el 2020 o 2021? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? A related video is: Great Tribulation: 2026 or 2027? A shorter video is: Tribulation in 2024? Here is a video in the Spanish language: Es El 2021 el año  de La Gran Tribulación o el Grande Reseteo Financiero.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. It is available in hundreds of languages at ccog.org. Here are links to four kingdom-related sermons:  The Fantastic Gospel of the Kingdom of God!, The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.
Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America? Where did those people come from? Can you totally rely on DNA? What about other peoples? Do you really know what will happen to Europe and the English-speaking peoples? What about Africa, Asia, South America, and the Islands? This free online book provides scriptural, scientific, historical references, and commentary to address those matters. Here are links to related sermons: Lost tribes, the Bible, and DNA; Lost tribes, prophecies, and identifications; 11 Tribes, 144,000, and Multitudes; Israel, Jeremiah, Tea Tephi, and British Royalty; Gentile European Beast; Royal Succession, Samaria, and Prophecies; Asia, Islands, Latin America, Africa, and Armageddon;  When Will the End of the Age Come?Rise of the Prophesied King of the North; Christian Persecution from the Beast; WWIII and the Coming New World Order; and Woes, WWIV, and the Good News of the Kingdom of God.



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