Uber Protest in Paris: French Cabbies Blockade Roads, Assault Drivers

French taxi drivers have taken to the streets of Paris to protest UberPOP, the eu similar of UberX, slicing off access to the town’s airports and attacking Uber drivers. TechCrunch reviews that 2,800 cabbies are rallying nationwide in accordance with the journey-hailing app’s persevered operation in France, even after the federal government allegedly banned UberPOP again in January.

The protesters in Paris tossed burning tires in main roads, overturned autos, and careworn Uber staff. Police donned revolt gear and stepped in at one level with tear fuel, according to Reuters. The taxi company G7 went as far as to say the following on national television: “we are faced with permanent provocation (from Uber) to which there can best be one response: whole firmness in the systematic seizure of offending automobiles. we are really sorry to have to hold shoppers and drivers hostage. We’re no longer doing this calmly.”

Musician Courtney Love found herself at the mercy of incensed cabbies on her method from the airport, resulting in this string of tweets:

French taxi unions have lengthy been riled up over UberPOP’s use of nonprofessional drivers, who’ve managed to skirt the steep licensing charges and insurance prices that regular cabbies have to bear. in their eyes, this stacks the playing cards against them and provides Uber an unfair aggressive advantage. Bloomberg writes that Uber has drawn 1 million customers across France over the last three years—and that taxi revenue has dropped through 30 to 40 p.c up to now two years alone.

French interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve ordered a shutdown of UberPOP on Thursday in accordance with the dissent, Reuters reviews. “i’ve given directions, bearing in mind the grave issues with public order and the improvement of this illegal activity, to the police prefecture in Paris to ban UberPop actions,” Cazeneuve advised newshounds, according to The Verge.

[by way of The Verge]