PARIS (Sputnik) – The Parisian police used tear gas against the protesting taxi drivers on Tuesday, local media reported.
According to the BFMTV channel, at least 20 people were arrested for participating in protests, arson and carrying arms.
Prime Minister Manuel Valls condemned the "unacceptable violence" that the protesters commit.
The drivers are protesting against the VTC taxi service, which works in a similar way to Uber. These services bring together customers and private drivers, offering lower prices than regular taxis. These services are not subject to the same rules as taxi drivers are, who believe they are at disadvantage.
The drivers are calling for the ban of the VTC service, or special compensations. They intend to continue protesting until their demands are met.
The Uber taxi service has seen an increase in popularity among customers in Europe, while simultaneously facing an increase in restrictions on its operations within the European Union, under pressure from the taxi service lobby.
