Burgundy farmers launch a fiery SOS seen from the sky in Dijon

The return of agricultural demonstrations throughout France. In Dijon, this Monday, September 18, farmers from across the region are gathering around the Olympic swimming pool for a visual and symbolic action: an SOS made of flames and smoke observable from the sky.

This is the “second act” of the farmers’ angry movement. After the large-scale demonstrations at the start of 2024, the peasant world is launching a new wave of mobilization this Monday, November 18.

In Dijon, farmers from across the region gathered this Monday evening near the Quetigny Olympic swimming pool. They announced “visual communication” and “fires of anger”. According to the demonstrators, there were nearly 300 people.

This is not their first attempt. In January 2024, during the “first act” of the agricultural movement, the demonstrators formed a giant SOS, visible from the sky, at the Pouilly-en-Auxois-Mâconge aerodrome.

► ALSO READ: VIDEO. Anger of farmers: a gigantic SOS seen from the sky formed by hundreds of tractors in Burgundy

But this time, no more neutral fires from the tractors, it was finally with flames and smoke that the farmers formed another SOS. This change in method seems to reflect an even more alarming situation.

The day before in Côte-d'Or, a first action took place in Arnay-le-Duc, one of the central points of the peasant movement at the start of 2024.

► ALSO READ: IN PICTURES. Tractors, pallets, tarpaulins: first actions of Côte-d'Or farmers, a mobilization to come “everywhere in the department”

French farmers are mobilizing against international agreements whose consequences they fear: “Uncapped Ukrainian exports, Chinese imports”… But also, and above all, the free trade agreement with the Mercosur countries (Latin American countries).

Emmanuel Macron is currently traveling to South America for the G20. In response to agricultural anger, this Sunday, November 17, the President of the Republic declared that France “will not sign this treaty as it stands“.

Rallies are planned across the country.