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Clashes Erupt Across France as Taxi Drivers Protest Uber Clashes Erupt Across France as Taxi Drivers Protest Uber
(about 2 hours later)
PARIS — Irate taxi drivers blocked roads, burned tires and attacked drivers who they thought were working for Uber, the ride-hailing company, during a day of protests Thursday that disrupted Paris and slowed traffic to a crawl. PARIS — Irate taxi drivers blocked roads, burned tires and attacked drivers who they thought were working for Uber, the ride-hailing company, during a day of protests Thursday that disrupted Paris and slowed traffic to a crawl.
The strike in France is the latest in a series of challenges confronting Uber, which is based in San Francisco, in a number of European countries in which it operates. The taxi associations here oppose the company’s efforts to expand its low-cost UberPop service.The strike in France is the latest in a series of challenges confronting Uber, which is based in San Francisco, in a number of European countries in which it operates. The taxi associations here oppose the company’s efforts to expand its low-cost UberPop service.
Fights broke out on streets, a couple of cars were burned and travelers were frustrated all over Paris and in major cities elsewhere in France, where the labor battle snarled several cities’ streets.Fights broke out on streets, a couple of cars were burned and travelers were frustrated all over Paris and in major cities elsewhere in France, where the labor battle snarled several cities’ streets.
“We are against the government,” said Nader Moghimi, 49, who has driven a taxi for nine years in Paris. “Their role is to protect us. If Uber is doing some economic terrorism, the government has to react.”“We are against the government,” said Nader Moghimi, 49, who has driven a taxi for nine years in Paris. “Their role is to protect us. If Uber is doing some economic terrorism, the government has to react.”
“Economic terrorism” is the favored term of Parisian taxi drivers for Uber’s lower prices, flexible hours and the way it is operating outside French law.“Economic terrorism” is the favored term of Parisian taxi drivers for Uber’s lower prices, flexible hours and the way it is operating outside French law.
In France the UberPop service is illegal. It allows anyone who wants to become a driver to sign up without a professional chauffeur license and to pick up fares through the Uber smartphone app. Other Uber services are permitted under strict conditions, and the company is contesting the constitutionality of parts of the law limiting UberPop. The company has instructed its drivers to keep working.In France the UberPop service is illegal. It allows anyone who wants to become a driver to sign up without a professional chauffeur license and to pick up fares through the Uber smartphone app. Other Uber services are permitted under strict conditions, and the company is contesting the constitutionality of parts of the law limiting UberPop. The company has instructed its drivers to keep working.
With arrests and fights still breaking out in several areas of Paris in the early evening, many Parisians were scrolling on their smartphones to try to find alternative routes home. And unsuspecting visitors found themselves inadvertently caught up in an increasingly heated labor dispute. Many turned to social media during the day to share their ordeals. The French interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, who met Thursday evening with the taxi unions, deplored the violence, but saved his most angry words for Uber. He said the company behaved with “arrogance” in its flouting of French law and declared that “the government will never accept the law of the jungle,” referring to Uber’s stark form of competition.
The singer and actress Courtney Love assailed Paris as an unreliable destination when she posted on Twitter, to her nearly 2 million followers, about being caught in the protests. With blocked streets and fights still breaking out in several parts of Paris in the early evening, many Parisians were scrolling on their smartphones to find other routes home. And unsuspecting visitors found themselves inadvertently caught up in an increasingly heated labor dispute. Many turned to social media during the day to share their ordeals.
The singer and actress Courtney Love assailed Paris as an unreliable destination when she posted on Twitter, to her nearly 2 million followers, about being caught in the protests. “They’re beating the cars with metal bats,” Ms. Love wrote. “This is France? I’m safer in Baghdad.”
Ms. Love, the widow of the Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, wrote on her social media timelines that she and her driver were held hostage on her way from the airport until she was rescued by passing motorcyclists. It is not clear if she was using Uber’s service at the time.Ms. Love, the widow of the Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, wrote on her social media timelines that she and her driver were held hostage on her way from the airport until she was rescued by passing motorcyclists. It is not clear if she was using Uber’s service at the time.
Other visitors to Paris could be seen trudging toward the airports hauling large suitcases, and on the Métro letting strangers help them navigate up and down the stairs. Some tourists seemed completely confused about why there were no taxis in Paris on Thursday. Other visitors to Paris could be seen trudging toward the airports hauling large suitcases, and on the Métro with strangers helping them to navigate the stairs. Some tourists seemed completely confused about why there were no taxis in Paris on Thursday.
Residents had varying views of the mayhem. Several interviewed on television expressed solidarity with the taxi drivers, but said they shouldn’t stop people from getting to work by creating an “Operation Snail,” the French term for intentional traffic tie-ups.Residents had varying views of the mayhem. Several interviewed on television expressed solidarity with the taxi drivers, but said they shouldn’t stop people from getting to work by creating an “Operation Snail,” the French term for intentional traffic tie-ups.
However, a businessman on the Champs-Élysées, who would give his name only as Anthony, said, “The government has a completely outdated way of thinking. For a European city, at the height of summer, this should not be happening.”However, a businessman on the Champs-Élysées, who would give his name only as Anthony, said, “The government has a completely outdated way of thinking. For a European city, at the height of summer, this should not be happening.”
With signs on their taxis reading “Death to Uber,” “Uber Stop,” “Do not allow us to ‘Uberize,’” and “Uber Go Home,” about 300 drivers blocked all traffic at Porte Maillot, an important access point to the main Paris ring road, and were being restrained by the riot police from blocking adjoining streets. With signs on their taxis reading “Death to Uber,” “Uber Stop,” “Do not allow us to ‘Uberize,’ ” and “Uber Go Home,” about 300 drivers blocked all traffic at Porte Maillot, an important access point to the main Paris ring road, and were being restrained by the riot police from blocking adjoining streets.
As they faced off against the police, they yelled obscenities and at one point a police officer hit a taxi driver with his baton as other drivers leapt to restrain the man. That was a rare moment of physical violence, although earlier in the day two cars were burned near the Porte Maillot roundabout, according to the drivers. As they faced off against the police, they yelled obscenities and at one point a police officer hit a taxi driver with his baton as other drivers leapt to restrain the man. That was a rare moment of violence, although earlier in the day two cars were burned near the Porte Maillot roundabout, according to the drivers.
Costa Tsatsakis, 58, a Brussels taxi driver for 35 years, said he had come to Paris support his French colleagues along with about 30 other Belgian taxi drivers. He said the violence Thursday was “regrettable” but that it was “the only way to fight back against the war machine that is Uber.”Costa Tsatsakis, 58, a Brussels taxi driver for 35 years, said he had come to Paris support his French colleagues along with about 30 other Belgian taxi drivers. He said the violence Thursday was “regrettable” but that it was “the only way to fight back against the war machine that is Uber.”
Altogether nearly 3,000 taxi drivers participated in the strike nationwide, according to Agence France-Presse. There were at least eight arrests in Paris and eight in Lyon. Altogether, nearly 3,000 taxi drivers participated in the strike nationwide, according to Agence France-Presse. There were at least eight arrests in Paris and eight in Lyon. Mr. Cazeneuve said there were 10 arrests, seven officers were hurt and 70 vehicles damaged. It was not clear if those figures were national or just in Paris.
On Thursday, the police detained both protesting taxi drivers, who were arrested amid the violence, and UberPop drivers, who were accused of offering their services illegally.On Thursday, the police detained both protesting taxi drivers, who were arrested amid the violence, and UberPop drivers, who were accused of offering their services illegally.
Earlier in the day there were blockages in Marseille, France’s second largest city, and Nice, as well as in Lyon, halting traffic and forcing air travelers to walk long distances to get to their terminals.Earlier in the day there were blockages in Marseille, France’s second largest city, and Nice, as well as in Lyon, halting traffic and forcing air travelers to walk long distances to get to their terminals.
In Cannes, where advertising executives have gathered for an industry festival, some who could afford to do so were bypassing the traffic caused by the taxi strike by taking helicopters for trips as short as 10 minutes. In a bizarre twist, Uber is aggressively pushing its helicopter service in Cannes — when users open the Uber smartphone app from the seaside resort city, information about its UberCopter service appears. In Cannes, where advertising executives have gathered for an industry festival, some who could afford to do so were bypassing the traffic caused by the taxi strike by taking helicopters for trips as short as 10 minutes. In a bizarre twist, Uber is aggressively pushing its helicopter service in Cannes.
Such promotions are unlikely to improve Uber’s standing with many of the drivers angered by the company’s business tactics.Such promotions are unlikely to improve Uber’s standing with many of the drivers angered by the company’s business tactics.
France has heavily regulated labor markets and the taxi drivers, who must buy an expensive license — costing as much as $270,000 in Paris — are furious that unlicensed drivers have been able to enter the market for free. (A New York City taxi medallion now costs around $850,000, according to the Taxi and Limousine Commission.) France has heavily regulated labor markets and the taxi drivers, who must buy an expensive license — costing as much as $270,000 in Paris — are furious that unlicensed drivers have been able to enter the market for free. (A New York City taxi medallion now costs about $850,000, according to the Taxi and Limousine Commission.)
Uber has offered its supportive customers in France an opportunity to be heard amid the protests by circulating an online petition. And it posted “10 Truths About UberPop” on Twitter to help counter the drivers’ protest.Uber has offered its supportive customers in France an opportunity to be heard amid the protests by circulating an online petition. And it posted “10 Truths About UberPop” on Twitter to help counter the drivers’ protest.
This is not the first time that European taxi drivers have voiced their anger over Uber by taking to the streets. Last year, more than 10,000 drivers in cities like London, Madrid and Milan staged a one-day protest.This is not the first time that European taxi drivers have voiced their anger over Uber by taking to the streets. Last year, more than 10,000 drivers in cities like London, Madrid and Milan staged a one-day protest.
Several European cities, including Berlin and Amsterdam, have banned some of the company’s services, saying that they do not comply with local transportation rules. And in Spain, Uber closed its operations after a judge ruled in December that the company’s low-cost service did not conform to Spanish laws and could amount to unfair competition for taxi drivers.Several European cities, including Berlin and Amsterdam, have banned some of the company’s services, saying that they do not comply with local transportation rules. And in Spain, Uber closed its operations after a judge ruled in December that the company’s low-cost service did not conform to Spanish laws and could amount to unfair competition for taxi drivers.
In response, Uber has asked the European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union, to intervene, saying the bans violate the bloc’s rules against discriminating between rival services.In response, Uber has asked the European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union, to intervene, saying the bans violate the bloc’s rules against discriminating between rival services.