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French Farmers Protesting Trade Deal Vandalize Macron’s Party Offices

French Farmers Protesting Trade Deal Vandalize Macron’s Party Offices
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By Staff, Agencies

Farmers livid at a trade deal French President Emmanuel Macron is forcing through with Canada claimed responsibility for vandalizing Carole Bureau-Bonnard's office in Noyon, just north of Paris, yesterday in the latest act of terrifying violence in the EU member state.

Bureau-Bonnard condemned the act on Twitter, showing pictures of her office having been pelted with eggs and a massive sign with graffiti on in bright green ink from a spray can. Bales of hay had been chucked at the building too.

She said: “My office has been vandalized. I will never accept these acts of violence which go against democracy”.

“My determination to work at the service of my fellow citizens remains more than ever intact, and my will to resist all forms of threat!” she added.

The incident comes just two days after the office of Romain Grau, another En Marche MP, was set on fire.

Anti-government protests have picked up again after Macron this month approved the EU-Canada trade deal [CETA], which opponents said undermined the EU's social and ecological regulations by importing products made under conditions that would not be allowed in Europe.

The French government says the deal is beneficial for the country.

A farmer who took part in the damage to Bureau-Bonnard's office said: “The CETA vote goes against what the general population wants.”

She identified herself only as "Aurelie" when contacted by telephone, saying she did not want to give her surname, and added her group had targeted Bureau-Bonnard's office at 6am [local time].

Police could not be immediately reached for comment.

In January, the then-government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux had to escape his office after protesters broke into the compound and smashed up vehicles during the broader Yellow Vest protest movement.

This movement waned in recent months but since news of the agriculture deal broke, picked up again.

The movement began last November and severely damaged the French economy with damage to monuments such as the Arc De Triomphe and the deaths of up to nine people killed when things became violent.

Cars, restaurants and homes were gutted in fires and police had guns snatched off them. The protests began when Macron announced a 23 percent fuel hike.

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