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At least eight arrested amid violent taxi protests against UberPOP app in France

Xinhua, June 26, 2015 Adjust font size:

At least eight people were arrested and placed into custody on Thursday in France on charges of presumed violent acts during angry taxi drivers' protests against U.S. online ride sharing service, UberPOP, local media reported.

Citing police sources, the news channel BFMTV said the group of arrested men included cabbies and private drivers offering popular services via taxi app Uber who were accused, mainly, of throwing stones at the security forces using of a tear bomb against each others.

On Thursday, thousands of taxi drives across the country blocked the access of Paris' main airports Charles de Gaulle and Orly and had up barricades on the roads to protest unfair competition and on fears to lose their jobs and customers to Uber services.

"We are faced with permanent provocation (from Uber) to which there can only be one response: total firmness in the systematic seizure of offending vehicles," G7 taxi firm head Serge Metz told BFMTV.

"Given the serious public order disturbances and development of this illegal activity," Bernard Cazeneuve, French Interior Minister said he "asked the Paris police to issue a decree prohibiting the activity of UberPop", which, according to him, did not respect the country's laws in terms of paying social and tax charges.

The French minister also urged a nationwide calm and respect of laws after violence generated during the protests.

Shortly after Cazeneuve's call, Paris police prohibited the use of UberPOP, Heetch and Djump "to show the state's firm commitment to respect laws and regulations. "

UberPOP links, through a smart phone app, drivers of private cars with passengers at cheaper rates than traditional cabbies who pay 240,000 euros (268,800 U.S. dollars) to have their licenses.

In 2014, France ordered the ban of UberPOP services.(1 euro = 1.12 U.S. dollars) Endit