[Onthebarricades] Fuel price protests, global North, Apr-Aug 2008

[Andy]

ON THE BARRICADES:  Global Resistance Roundup, April-August 2008
https://lists.resist.ca/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/onthebarricades
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/globalresistance/

*  FRANCE:  Truckers protest fuel prices
*  US, Las Vegas:  Taxi protest
*  NEW ZEALAND:  Truckers "snarl cities" over fuel prices, road laws
*  SPAIN:  Farmers protest fuel prices
*  US, New York:  Truckers protest
*  BELGIUM:  Farmers, truckers, taxi drivers protest
*  FRANCE, UK:  Truckers protest
*  ICELAND:  "Rare" clashes as truckers protest in capital
*  US, Indiana:  Protester arrested for singing about gas prices
*  UK:  Protest at refinery
*  US, Washington DC:  Truckers protest
*  BULGARIA:  Truckers protest
*  US:  School students walk, ride horse in protest
*  UK:  Hauliers "at end of the road" warn protesters
*  US, California:  Fuel protester starts fires
*  EU/BELGIUM:  European truckers clash with police at Brussels protest
*  IRELAND:  Fishermen protest
*  AUSTRALIA:  Horse and cart fuel protest
*  UK:  Bikers block motorways
*  IRELAND:  Free fish in Dublin
*  HOLLAND:  Truckers protest
*  PORTUGAL:  Driver killed at blockade while flagging down truck
*  SPAIN:  Fuel protests hit car plants
*  GERMANY:  Man torches car in fuel protest
*  US, Utah:  Children protest fuel prices after mother cancels cable
*  CANADA:  Dump trucks protest
*  RUSSIA:  Fuel protest in Krasnoyarsk
*  AUSTRALIA:  Truckers go-slow; fishermen swim
*  JAPAN:  Fisherfolk strike over fuel prices

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-07/01/content_8469057.htm

French truckers block roads to protest high fuel prices

Truckers in France block traffic in a protest against rising fuel prices on 
the Paris-Lille motorway, northern France, June 30, 2008. French truckers 
began blocking roads across France on Monday as they continued a protest 
against high fuel prices and urged the government to help the industry. The 
nationwide day of action announced by the main haulage associations included 
roadblocks and so-called "snail" operations by convoys of slow-moving trucks 
and is expected to disrupt traffic severely, especially on highways. 
(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

http://www.kxnt.com/pages/2515910.php?

Posted: Tuesday, 01 July 2008 2:00PM

Local Cab Drivers Protest
Local cab drivers picketed on the Las Vegas Strip this morning over rising 
fuel prices. The protest outside Bally's and the Paris was organized by the 
Alliance for Las Vegas Taxi and Limousine Drivers. Drivers also called for a 
new labor contract. They got some help from the United Steelworkers, who are 
in town for their annual convention. The steelworkers' union sent thousands 
out to join the taxi drivers in a show of solidarity. And soon, cab riders 
will feel the effects of more expensive gas and fuel. Starting this Sunday, 
a temporary 25-cent per mile fuel surcharge goes into effect. The surcharge 
will be reviewed by the state Taxicab Authority in January, and could go up, 
stay in place or be dropped depending on where gas prices head. Also, a 
permanent 20-cent-per-mile increase will take effect Sunday.

http://www.pr-inside.com/new-zealand-trucks-snarl-cities-in-r684411.htm

New Zealand trucks snarl cities in nationwide tax protest

2008-07-04 03:03:13 -
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) - Morning rush-hour traffic slowed to a crawl 
in most New Zealand cities Friday as truckers snarled highways and streets 
with thousands of vehicles to protest higher road taxes.
Tens of thousands of commuters took to highways early to beat the road chaos 
as truckers driving as slow as 1.25 mph

(2 kph) swarmed into more than a dozen city centers and blocked traffic.
In the main city of Auckland, big rigs sounded air horns as crowds of people 
clapped and waved in support of the protest that gridlocked the city center. 
Some vehicles carried placards reading «Good things come by Truck.
The move was sparked by the government hiking road-user tax paid by haulers, 
adding up to US$3,000 in annual operating costs to each truck. Trucking 
companies said the cost would be passed on to consumers through higher 
charges.
«The aim of the exercise today is to send a message to the Minister of 
Transport ... and get Joe Public on our side,» owner-operator Nigel Boyd 
told National Radio.
In the capital, Wellington, up to 200 trucks crawled past the nation's 
Parliament, angrily barping air horns in protest as they drove by.
Ahead of the protest, Transport Minister Anette King offered to meet the 
nation's Road Transport Association that represents truckers to consider a 
review of road user charges.
But Prime Minister Helen Clark said Friday the government was unlikely to 
back down.
«We think what is happening is fair. They don't,» she told reporters. «There 
can be a working party to talk about how we move ahead from here.

Truck company owner Mike Herrick said the tax had been «imposed on us at a 
very unfortunate time.
Overnight Thursday in London, Brent crude futures rose to a trading record 
of US$146.69 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange before settling at 
US$146.08, up US$1.82.
The gains built on a record-shattering rally the previous day, and left 
prices 3.6 percent higher for the week _ a level expected to spark a further 
hike in petrol and diesel prices.

http://rss.xinhuanet.com/newsc/english/2008-07/04/content_8489592.htm

More than 4,000 trucks jam New Zealand in protest

    WELLINGTON, July 4 (Xinhua) -- At least 4,000 trucks took part in 
Friday's mass road protest in New Zealand's major cities and smaller 
centers, according to one of the groups behind the protest.
    In Auckland, Michael Herrick from the Road Transport Association said 
more than 3,000 trucks drove into Auckland, and between 600 and 700 to South 
Island city of Christchurch.
    He said the action, over the sudden rise in road user charges was not 
about disruption, but was to gain the government's attention.
    Road Transport Forum chief executive Tony Friedlander said the protest 
was the first of its type in New Zealand.
    The thousands of trucks began to disperse from city centers mid-morning.
    Several convoys had traveled toward Auckland, and on the south-eastern 
motorway trucks were being driven three-abreast, at 20 kph. Freight and 
concrete trucks were among the scores bumper-to-bumper along Queen Street.
    In Wellington, a 300-strong convoy drove past Parliament, but by 
mid-morning traffic in the city center was reported to be flowing more 
smoothly than usual.
    And in central Hamilton, where about 200 trucks converged on the city 
from outlying areas, causing serious congestion, traffic flows were 
returning to normal by mid-morning.
    Whangarei, Tauranga, Rotorua and New Plymouth, were among other centers 
affected.
    Trucks traveling into Christchurch restricted their speed to 20kph, and 
people lined the roads to look at the convoy.
    In Dunedin, about 90 trucks were driven through the Octagon, as police 
diverted much of the other traffic away from the city center. Timaru and 
Invercargill were also affected.
    Transport Minister Annette King was arranging for talks to begin next 
week on how changes could be made to the formula used to calculate road user 
charges.
    King said she was prepared to try to settle a dispute over the formula's 
accuracy. She says there is clearly a dispute over the formula, so a working 
party has been set up to settle it.
    King said the chief executive of the Road Transport Forum, Tony 
Friedlander, has been invited to meet with the Secretary of Transport, Brian 
Donnelly, next week to thrash out the issues.
    King added that she has also asked for policy work on adjusting the 
formula to be sped up.
    Prime Minister Helen Clark said it is important that the trucking 
industry participates in a proposed working group on road user charges.
    Clark said other road users have been picking up the bulk of the cost 
for funding the transport system.
    Business groups said it was excessive for the police to suggest people 
take the day off work today because of predicted traffic disruptions.

http://rss.xinhuanet.com/newsc/english/2008-06/20/content_8407391.htm

Spanish farmers protest fuel hikes

Spanish farmers took to the streets during a protest against fuel price 
hikes in Madrid, Spain, June 19, 2008. Thousands of farmers, who say soaring 
costs and lousy prices are driving them out of business, marched through 
Madrid to demand lower diesel tax to cope with record fuel prices. 
(Xinhua/Chen Haitong)

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?from=rss_Europe&set_id=1&click_id=24&art_id=nw20080619154837670C299246

Frustrated farmers protest fuel price
    June 19 2008 at 04:24PM

Madrid - Thousands of farmers from across Spain took to the streets of 
Madrid on Thursday to demand government help to combat the soaring price of 
fuel and fertilisers.

Protestors from the Young Farmers Association (Asaja) handed out 13 tonnes 
of farm produce and threw tomatoes at the offices of the economy ministry. 
Some also carried coffins.

"Zapatero you are killing us" and "Save the countryside" were among the 
slogans the demonstrators shouted.

The farmers are seeking lower petrol taxes and a reduction in the price of 
fertilisers, which has doubled this year.

"We are demonstrating peacefully today," said one of the protesters, Pedro 
Barato, but he warned that the farmers could use stronger tactics, such as 
blocking roads, if the government failed to accept their demands.

The protests by farmers over fuel prices follow those of fishermen, some of 
whom are maintaining an indefinite strike launched on May 30, and of 
truckers, who paralysed roads throughout the country for three days last 
week.

http://wnyt.com/article/stories/s482894.shtml?cat=300

Truckers convoy to Capitol for rally
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - More than 100 truck drivers took part in a noisy 
downtown Albany rally Thursday to demonstrate against skyrocketing fuel 
prices that are staggering their industry.
About 110 tractor-trailer cabs, dump trucks and flatbeds jammed streets 
around the state Capitol building before a rally in an adjacent park.
Truckers were blaring their horns before parking near another park blocks 
away from the rally site.
Gov. David Paterson told the crowd he'd support a summer gasoline tax 
"holiday" if fuel companies promise to pass the savings on to consumers and 
he urged the truckers to take their protest to the headquarters of big oil 
companies.
The drivers gathered at truck stops in Washington and Montgomery counties 
before convoying to Albany Thursday morning.

http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90853/6433148.html

Belgian agriculture, transport sectors protest price rises

+-10:07, June 19, 2008

Belgian farmers, truck drivers and taxi drivers Wednesday protested in 
Brussels against the rise in the prices of fuel and other daily necessities.

They demanded that the Belgian government introduce measures to help 
alleviate the pressure on the transport and farming sectors caused by the 
steep rise in the prices of commodities.

Farmers from the southern Belgian region of Wallonia drove some300 tractors 
to the Cinquantenaire Park on the edge of the European quarter in uptown 
Brussels.

An official of the Walloon farmers' organization said that Belgian farmers 
are no longer making a profit because of the surging prices of fuel and 
production materials.

Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme told the rallying farmers that the 
Belgian government will try to help them by means of a taxation policy, 
increasing investment in agricultural research and improving transparency in 
setting prices for agricultural produce.

But he emphasized that the assistance from the government would be "very 
limited."

Meanwhile, about 150 taxis and dozens of trucks were driven to other parts 
of Brussels in protest against the high prices. Thanks to the precautionary 
measures of the police, the protests did not cause major disruption of 
traffic.

Truck and taxi drivers drove in a convoy along the inner ring road of the 
Belgian capital.

Belgian media reported that some 800 police officers were mobilized to keep 
an eye on the traffic.

Source:Xinhua

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/06/16/europe/17fuel.php

French and British truckers protest fuel prices

By Alan Cowell
Published: June 16, 2008

PARIS: After weeks of protests across Europe, French truckers attempted to 
block roads across the country on Monday to demand government measures to 
offset the soaring price of diesel fuel.
In another action, British truckers seeking higher pay maintained a strike 
that has seen hundreds of gas stations run out of fuel. The closed fuel 
pumps and images of slow-moving convoys have become common sights as fuel 
prices have increased, inspiring demonstrations in Spain, Belgium and 
elsewhere.
Apart from France, protests against the cost of fuel as oil prices remain 
over $130 a barrel were also reported from South Korea.
By coincidence, the French strike Monday coincided with the high school 
final examinations known as the baccalaureat, so truckers said they would 
limit their action to seven hours between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to avoid 
disrupting the tests for almost half a million students. Drivers of private 
ambulances and taxis also launched protests in Paris and elsewhere.
Private ambulances clogged streets near the Health Ministry in the capital 
and outside Paris, and news agencies reported trucks blocking highways 
leading to the country's principal ports.
Truckers' representatives are demanding government help to cope with fuel 
prices which, they say, make their business unprofitable. The cost of diesel 
fuel, the truckers argue, has risen by between 25 and 30 percent in the past 
year, with a surge in the past few weeks.
In French, the go-slow protests are called "operation escargot" - literally 
operation snail's pace. On Monday, the slowdowns were reported from a string 
of cities from Perpignan near the border with Spain to Calais on the English 
Channel, according to news reports.
More protests are planned this week against President Nicolas Sarkozy's 
proposed changes in pension laws and working hours.

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/04/24/iceland.fuel/index.html?eref=edition_europe

April 24, 2008 -- Updated 1243 GMT (2043 HKT)

Iceland fuel protests heat up
Story Highlights
Police clash with truck drivers protesting high cost of fuel in Reykjavik, 
Iceland
Almost half the cost of a tank of gas due to value-added tax, special fuel 
tax
Falling krona, rising crude prices contributing to higher petrol prices in 
Iceland
President Grimsson tells CNN he's "relaxed and optimistic" about economy

LONDON, England (CNN) -- The shaky video shows Icelandic police repelling 
protestors with riot shields and batons.

A viewer iReport shows police in Reyjkavik, Iceland clashing with truck 
drivers protesting the high cost of fuel.

Behind the police barricade, someone sprays a can of fluid onto the crowd. 
It's not clear whether it's CS Gas, but a short time later some protestors 
are seen rubbing their eyes.
The video was shot on Wednesday morning in Reykjavik, Iceland by retired 
truck driver Halldor Sigurgson and submitted to CNN's iReport. watch the 
iReport
"This is the first time in a long time we have seen in Iceland violence 
against protestors," Halldor Sigurgson told CNN, adding "we are not used to 
violence against groups of people at all."
The group of people in this case is truck drivers who have been blocking 
major roads in the Icelandic capital to protest against the rising cost of 
fuel. They're also objecting to EU regulations on how long they can drive 
without resting.
Earlier this month, nearly 300 cars, trucks, vans and jeeps sounded their 
support for the truck drivers' campaign by beeping their horns as they 
passed Iceland's national parliament, Althingi.
Currently, almost half the cost of a tank of gas in Iceland is made up of 
government taxes, including a value-added tax and a special tax on fuel.
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While local taxes haven't increased, the rising cost of crude on world oil 
markets is driving prices higher. A sharp decline in the Icelandic krona is 
also adding to the cost of imported fuel.
Protestors are calling on the government to reduce taxes to ease the burden 
on local motorists.
Like many Icelanders, Thrandur Arnthorsson is wedded to his 4x4. In his 
spare time the software project manager runs a Web site dedicated to 
off-roading. Recently, he has noticed it is becoming more expensive to fill 
his tank.
"Yesterday I filled it up for 12,000 kronas," Thrandur Arnthorsson says. 
That is about $161.
"It has risen with the fall of the krona against other currencies and the 
rising price of oil at the same time so people are frustrated about how high 
the taxes are on fuel."
The discontent over high fuel prices is being exacerbated by a sharp decline 
in Iceland's economy.
The Central Bank of Iceland has hiked interest rates to 15.5 percent to 
staunch a steep slide in the Icelandic krona. Inflation is nearing 10 
percent and, after years of impressive growth, the country's economy is 
forecast to expand just one percent this year.
Iceland's biggest banks -- Kaupthing, Glitnir and Landsbanki -- have been 
borrowing from abroad to finance their international expansion making them 
particularly vulnerable to the global credit crunch.
In a recent interview with CNN's Principal Voices, Iceland President Olafur 
Grimsson said he's relatively calm about the country's current economic 
challenges.
"While I'm concerned I'm both relaxed and optimistic because fundamentally 
the Icelandic economy is very strong," he said.
He says the present fluctuations were created by the "extraordinary" growth 
of the Iceland banking sector coupled with difficulties in global financial 
systems.
It's interesting when you look at the international discussions about 
Iceland," Grimsson said.
"The more knowledgeable people are about Iceland the less alarmist they are 
about looking at our present situation."
For truck drivers, the present situation of high fuel costs is all too real.

Halldor Sigurgson says the majority of Icelanders support the recent 
protests.
"I stand by them because I was on it this morning," he told CNN. "I went out 
there to take photos and video. There is a lot of public support for them 
here in Iceland."

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,354362,00.html

Indiana Police Arrest Gas Price Protest Singer Performing Atop Store
Tuesday, May 06, 2008

VALPARAISO, Indiana —  A man with a guitar and a megaphone climbed atop a 
convenience store roof to serenade commuters with his musical protest of 
high gasoline prices — until police halted the impromptu concert.
Once atop the roof of the Family Express store Monday, and above pumps 
dispensing fuel at $3.78 per 1 gallon (3.79 liters), Jay Weinberg, 29, 
performed his ditty called "Price Gouge'n."
Dozens of supporters chanted: "I can't afford it. I'm banging on my 
dashboard. I can't believe they think I'm a fool."
The performance lasted about 15 minutes before three police officers arrived 
and arrested Weinberg on charges of trespassing and disorderly conduct. 
Police said he was cooperative.
The crowd, made up of Weinberg's friends and other people who just happened 
to be pumping gas, continued singing. Then some, including his wife, 
Danielle, drove to Porter County Jail to bail him out.
Weinberg left the building and was greeted with cheers.

http://www.nowpublic.com/world/cheshire-england-fuel-protest-oil-refinery

Cheshire - England , Fuel protest at oil refinery
by greg1usa | May 2, 2008 at 02:03 pm | 496 views | 3 comments
As fuel costs soar protesters gathered and roads were blocked in this public 
outcryagainst tax on gas. The rising prices have effected everyone.
In 2000 protests at this same refinary casused several gas stations to run 
out of gas and sparked public panic. Then several grocery stores were also 
sold out of bread, milk and eggs etc as panic took hold.
FUEL protesters staged a demonstration at the entrance of a Cheshire oil 
refinery last night.
Around 100 farmers and truckers, who were on foot, gathered at the entrance 
to Shell's Stanlow oil refinery at Ellesmere Port.
Tom Haughton, a spokesman for the group, said 50 fuel tankers were shut 
outside the plant.
He said: "There were over 100 hauliers and farmers who blocked the road on 
foot.
"I think 40 or 50 tankers were blocked out. There were 300 to come in, so 
they tell us."

http://www.nowpublic.com/world/dc-truckers-protest-fuel-cost-capitol

DC: Truckers Protest Fuel Cost at Capitol
by fwinstead | April 28, 2008 at 03:31 pm | 231 views | 1 comment

Capitol Hill, DC – Some truckers disregarded organizers' plans to park at 
RFK Stadium and instead they took their trucks to the front of the Capitol 
in protest of fuel prices which are forcing them out of business and 
dragging down the national economy. These freight movers want Congress to 
cap fuel prices to keep their way of life viable.

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=93239

Bulgaria Truckers Protest High Diesel Prices
19 May 2008, Monday

Bulgaria: About 1,000 truckers across Bulgaria protest Monday against the 
record high prices of the diesel fuel in the country.

Drivers in Sofia are holding their protest at the entrances to the city as 
they decided not to block further the congested traffic.

Protesters demand that the government urgently takes measures to curb the 
constantly rising fuel prices in Bulgaria, which are among the highest in 
Europe.

During the last few years the gasoline excise increased by 128% while the 
tax hike for the diesel is 445.5 %, experts said.

Although the taxes are still lower than those of the other EU members, the 
prices are already record high and truckers say they have started to fill 
their tanks in countries like Slovenia where the fuel is considerably 
cheaper.

While a litre of diesel in Bulgaria costs BGN 2,51 (EUR1.28), the price in 
Slovenia, where salaries are considerably higher, is EUR 1,16.

Diesel prices in Romania, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland, Spain, 
Portugal, Switzerland and Austria are also lower compared to Bulgaria, 
statistics show.

According to transport companies, the high fuel prices are a result of 
speculation and cartel agreements.

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=93647

100 Trucks Block Ring Road near Sofia on Protest against High Fuel Prices
30 May 2008, Friday

Bulgaria: About 100 truck drivers gathered Friday with their vehicles on the 
ring road near Bulgaria's village of Kazichene to stage yet another protest 
against the high fuel prices and the overall problems in the branch.

The transport companies complained earlier in the day that police have not 
allowed a group of truckers to join the rally of their colleagues along the 
northern part of the Sofia ring road.

Protests over the recent drastic fuel price hikes started 12 days ago but on 
Wednesday truckers threatened they are to take more drastic measures and 
could bring the capital to a halt if the government fails to contact them 
for negotiations.

Transport companies demand that the Cabinet reduces fuel taxes and fights 
speculation in order to curb the prices.

http://www.b92.net//eng/news/region-article.php?yyyy=2008&mm=05&dd=28&nav_id=50621

Bulgarian truck drivers in fuel protest 28 May 2008 | 22:41 | Source: 
Reuters SOFIA -- Bulgarian truck drivers rallied, following the lead of 
British and French truckers and French fishermen in a wave of demonstrations 
and blockades, Reuters says.

The truck driver protest in Bulgaria (FoNet)

The Bulgarian truckers' association said excise duties and value added tax 
contributed to surging global oil prices and made the Balkan country's fuels 
too expensive. It demanded excise duty rebates.

More than 150 truck drivers and dozens of bus drivers from across Bulgaria 
converged in a convoy on the outskirts of the capital Sofia, saying high 
fuel prices meant they were operating at a loss.

Similar protests took place in the Black Sea port city of Varna, the Danube 
port city of Russe and other towns.

"Apparently we need to find a joint solution in the EU," Transport Minister 
Petar Mutafchiev told reporters. "There is a transport problem not only in 
Bulgaria, it's a European problem."

Fuel excise duties in Bulgaria, the poorest EU nation and already suffering 
double-digit inflation, are still lower than those in the rest of the bloc. 
This means Sofia could not justify a reduction in duties, Mutafchiev said.

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=93542

Bulgaria Biggest Cities Likely Paralyzed By Drivers Protests Wednesday
28 May 2008, Wednesday


Bulgaria Biggest Cities Likely Paralyzed By Drivers Protests Wednesday: 
Transport companies' protests are expected to paralyze traffic in Sofia, 
Varna Rouse and Plovdiv today. The carriers are protesting against the fuel 
price increase.

In Sofia the protest will be located on the North side of the city's 
beltway - from the Kazichene quarter to the quarter of Boyana. The heavy 
trucks have already arrived in Kaztichene.

The Sofia municipality has issued a permit to the truck drivers from 8:00 am 
until the conclusion of their meeting.

The truck drivers demand the reduction of the fuels' excise, the announcing 
of a market crisis and making public the dealings of the gray economy.

The Depute Chair of the Confederation of the Transport Companies in Bulgari 
Dimitar Nikolov, has stated that meetings with the Ministries engaged with 
the problem have not been scheduled, however, he explained that the protest 
would continue until an agreement is signed.

The truck drivers were planning a conference in Boyana later today, but it 
might be postponed due to an official state visit in the President's 
residence there.

In addition to the heavy-duty trucks, the taxi cab drivers will also protest 
in Sofia today. Anywhere between 300 and 400 taxies are expected to paralyze 
the city and bring the usually heavy and problematic traffic to a 
standstill.

The taxi cabs' protest is almost certain to irritate not only many Sofia 
residents but the government as well. Lately the taxi drivers' protests have 
always been a sign of a crisis.

The cab drivers will reunite at 11:00 am in front of the Alexander Nevsky 
Cathedral and will hold a protest meeting and a demonstration.

The drivers protest against the corruption, the gray economy, the lack of 
clearly defined rules for carriers, leasing companies and radio 
communication companies and the state interference in the private sector. 
They demand changes in the decree for the legalization of their business. 
The meeting is supposed to end at 1:00 pm.

The city police are warning Sofia's residents to avoid using their personal 
automobiles today and to follow the temporary restrictions.

Several central streets in downtown Sofia will be closed for traffic from 
10:30 am to 1:00 pm.

http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=143206

Bulgarian truckers protest to seek fuel tax rebate

Hundreds of Bulgarian truck drivers protested across the country on 
Wednesday to press for fuel tax rebates and government help over rising 
prices.

The truckers' association said excise duties and value added tax contributed 
to surging global oil prices and made the Balkan country's fuels too 
expensive. It demanded excise duty rebates.
Economy and Energy Minister Petar Dimitrov said last week that the European 
Union newcomer country might ask Brussels to cut excise duties on automotive 
fuels after transport companies protested against high prices.
More than 100 truck drivers and dozens of bus drivers from across Bulgaria 
converged in a convoy in the outskirts of the capital Sofia, saying high 
fuel prices meant they were operating at a loss.
Similar protests took place in the Black Sea port city of Varna, the Danube 
port city of Russe and several other towns.
Fuel excises duties in Bulgaria, the poorest EU nation that joined the bloc 
last year, are still lower than those in the rest of the EU.
Dimitrov has said high fuel prices are a serious concern in the EU and that 
Brussels must reconsider its fuel policy and lower excise duties to avert 
inflation and economic slowdown.
Bulgaria is a net oil and gas importer. Economist say high fuel prices will 
likely contribute to already double-digit inflation in the Balkan country, 
which was pushed up by last year's drought and high food prices.

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/business/news/article_1406511.php/Protesting_Bulgarian_truckers_win_government_help

Protesting Bulgarian truckers win government help
May 20, 2008, 17:05 GMT
    Sofia - Bulgaria's government Tuesday pledged to shield trucking firms 
from competition and keep a lid on fuel taxes after haulers snarled traffic 
in major cities to protest high petrol prices.
Transportation Minister Petar Mutafchiev said he was confident that the 
proposal to suspend licensing of new trucking companies in Bulgaria was in 
line with European Union rules.
Truckers face a 'crisis situation,' he said after cabinet minister, hauling 
industry officials and fuel distributors held emergency talks on how to ease 
the burden of high diesel prices.
The government also said it would avoid raising fuel taxes over the next two 
years. Fuel taxes are already at the maximum allowed until 2010 under 
Bulgaria's terms of EU membership.
Fuel prices in Bulgaria, which joined the EU last year, are among Europe's 
highest.
Hundreds of truckers across the country began protests Monday, parking their 
rigs to cause traffic backups on roads and motorways. Drivers in the capital 
Sofia and other big cities faced long delays.

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=93399

Plovdiv Bus Companies Protest over Fuel Prices
23 May 2008, Friday

Bulgaria: Over 750 bus drivers from the public transport companies in the 
city of Plovdiv and the region protest Friday against the high prices of the 
fuel in Bulgaria.

The buses of all six transport firms operating in the city are travelling 
with attached Bulgarian flags and posters reading "Protest."

On Thursday, several bus transport companies in Bulgaria declared they raise 
the ticket prices by 5 to 10 percent due to the record high price of the 
diesel fuel, which already costs about BGN 2,53 (EUR 1, 28).

Protesters say they are to stage new protests over the diesel price and the 
expanding "grey sector" in the branch.

According to transport companies, the fuel prices in Bulgaria, which are 
among the highest in Europe, are to a great extent result of speculation and 
cartel agreements.

http://www.waff.com/global/story.asp?s=8338857

Students prepare to walk to school as part of protest

Updated: June 17, 2008 04:29 AM

By Christie Ileto
WAFF 48 News Reporter

Like the rest of us, the students are frustrated with prices at the pump.
 "It's speaking out and actually believing in something and being vocal 
about it," Elizabeth Schedler said.
Vocal. Something Elisabeth Schedler says he normally isn't. But as one of 
the four students who started this effort, she feels like it's time to speak 
up.
 "To fill up it's about $50. I have to pay for my car and my gas and between 
that, I have pretty much no paycheck left," Schedler said.
A course in the Civil Rights Movement got this whole effort started.
"I did say we can just walk to school in protest, just kidding...but it 
quickly caught on," said 11th grade history teacher, Russ Robbins.
"We were like why don't we start walking to school," said Elizabeth Simbeck.
A walk that Elizabeth Simbeck says will be her first. ALong with about 80 
other students starting in 3 different locations.
Killen park is just one of the locations students will meet before they 
begin their walk on Monday, they say they hope their efforts make a 
difference in the community.
"Standing up for what you believe in is a really big thing as a teenager, 
everyone thinks you don't have a voice, but you do, and that;S really 
important for me to feel that," Simbeck said.
"We are teenagers, but we are aware of what's going on in the world and the 
community, but we do have opinions," Schedler said.

http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=57955&provider=rss

Student rides horse to school to protest gas prices
Taz Painter     Updated: 5/14/2008 1:11:32 PM    Posted: 5/13/2008 10:09:23 
AM

ROANE COUNTY, Tenn. - While most Rockwood high schoolers start up their 
engines on the way home from class Tuesday, one senior is mounting up and 
riding high above his peers.
"I think it's crazy," sophomore Kayla Evans said.
Brad Walker's ride gobbles up grass but doesn't cost him a dime in gas.
"Nobody should have to pay what they say is going to be $5 a gallon for 
gas," he said. "I don't think anybody should have to pay that."
After school Tuesday, Walker trotted out the courtyard at Rockwood High 
School and got on his horse, Pumpkin. After seeing gas prices jump more 11 
cents in a matter of hours, Walker decided something needed to be done.
"He's a pretty cool guy. He does what he wants, pretty much," Simon 
Moriarty, another student said.
So, with the principal's permission, Walker did just what came to mind. He 
rode his horse to school. During the day, Pumpkin stays tied up inside a 
corral, complete with a bucket of feed and a 5-gallon pail of water.
On the way to and from school, Pumpkin wears a sign that says "Solution to 
Higher Gas Prices".
"A lot of people are afraid to say how they really feel. I really don't 
care," Walker said. "It just tells people how I feel about the gas prices."
It's about a 45-minute ride for Walker, 4 miles home. He can make the trip 
for little more than a dollar a day.
The only problem is the legality of emissions. Horse droppings are 
considered litter.
"But if you go back and clean it up, it's ok," Walker said.
Sadly for Walker, this ride could soon be coming to an end. There just isn't 
enough stable space at Rockwood High School.
"I can't leave him here anymore, because everybody is pestering him, and 
everybody else is wanting to do it, and they don't have enough room for them 
to ride horses to school," he said.
But, he's trying to find Pumpkin a permanent parking spot. He says he'll 
keep turning heads and pocketing his gas money as long as he can. But the 
school year ends this week.
"They know you're going to buy that gas, so it's just going to keep going 
up," Walker said.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/may/28/transport.oil1?gusrc=rss&feed=politics

Many hauliers nearing end of the road, warn protesting lorry drivers
Truckers who blocked A40 urge chancellor to grant rebate on diesel duty
Helen Pidd
The Guardian,
Wednesday May 28 2008

A line of lorries on the A40 in Paddington, west London, during their 
protest against rising tax on fuel. Photograph: John Stillwell/PA
Rob White looked glum as he parked his 44-tonne truck on the A40 in central 
London yesterday. "I've been in transport since I was knee-high to nothing, 
ever since I could climb the steps of my dad's lorry," said the 42-year-old 
from Aldershot. "It's my life, but for how much longer? It's getting harder 
and harder. When I filled up my truck with 500 litres of diesel in February 
it cost me £499. I went to the same garage this morning and it cost £628. 
That's £129 - a day's profit. It's a lot of money."
Things have got so tight that White's wife and two sons are going on holiday 
without him. "I can't afford to park up for a week," he said, adding that he 
was losing all hope that his children would follow him into the family 
business, Rowen Bulk Services.
Despite his financial worries, White decided to forgo a day's pay to join 
hundreds of other lorry drivers in central London yesterday. They were 
protesting against the soaring costs of fuel and delivering a letter to 
Downing Street demanding the government lowers fuel taxes for haulage 
companies.
Hundreds of truckers drove into the capital and parked on one of the main 
arteries into the city, the A40, which runs from Wales to St Paul's 
Cathedral.
In agreement with the police, the lorries blocked a two-mile section between 
Paddington Green and the Northern Roundabout by Shepherd's Bush in a very 
orderly fashion. Police said yesterday that 200 vehicles were involved, 
though organisers gave a figure double that. In addition to the 
demonstration in London about 100 lorries took part in a fuel protest on the 
M4 in south Wales.
Contrary to some predictions, the capital was not brought to a standstill - 
traffic was merely diverted around the affected stretch of the A40 before it 
reopened by 4pm. That could explain why the protesters received such a warm 
reception from the public. "All the way up from Kent we've had people 
waving, beeping, giving us the thumb's up," said Martin Cook, a 38-year-old 
who has been driving lorries since 1986.
Despite this support, many hauliers made unflattering comparisons between 
yesterday's protests and those in France. "When French drivers strike 
everyone supports them and the country comes to a halt," said Steve Walker, 
48, who has been driving lorries for 10 years. "I was in France for the 
fishermen's strike and I got stuck."
Though the protest was peaceful, it was emotionally charged. Sharon Knight, 
a founder of TransAction, which organised the event, choked back tears as 
she spoke at Marble Arch.
Family business
Her voice cracked as she described the effect the price rises have had on 
her family's business, Les Knight Transport - the firm owns 23 large lorries 
which get through 23,000 litres of diesel every week, which leads to a hefty 
bill of around £30,000 a week at current prices of around £1.30 a litre. 
"Last April for the first time ever my company paid more than £100,000 for 
diesel in one month," said Knight. Meanwhile, she claimed, the Treasury had 
enjoyed a £730m windfall from increases in fuel duty since the March budget.
Many of the younger drivers were ruing the day they ever got into the 
industry. When Adele Litscher was 16 she became the youngest girl in the 
country qualified to drive a truck over 3.5 tonnes. Soon after, she joined 
her dad in the Kent-based family business, AJL Crane Lorries, and gained her 
HGV licence. She decided to invest her own money into the business so that 
it could grow. A mistake, the 23-year-old said yesterday. "I'm never going 
to see any of that investment back now. We can't get the work because people 
don't want to pay the prices, even though we are only asking for enough to 
break even. We're only a little family business and we are struggling. We've 
even considered taking one lorry off the road. It's gutting, really 
gutting."
Compassion
According to research released by accounting firm UHY Hacker Young 
yesterday, haulage companies are three times more likely than the average 
business to go bust in the UK. Figures showed 17.3% of courier and haulage 
businesses go under every year.
Peter Carroll, a haulier from Maidstone, Kent, who had helped organise 
yesterday's protest, said he retained hope that the government would show 
some compassion for the haulage industry. "I believe that if Gordon Brown 
walked past a drowning man he would try to help him. To all intent and 
purposes, our industry is that drowning man," he said in a speech.
Many drivers on the rally yesterday were disappointed at not being able to 
drive into the centre of town and jam up London's transport system. Roger 
Roye, 32, said: "It's too organised. I thought the whole point was to cause 
chaos. But look at this neat line of lorries -we might as well be waiting 
for a ferry."
Others said the only way people would really take notice would be for all 
lorry drivers to go on strike for a week. "Everything you buy goes on a 
truck. Without us you've got nothing. If we parked up for a week, the 
country would be on its knees," said Martin Cook.
Protesters hope the chancellor, Alistair Darling, will put the haulage 
industry into the essential user rebate category, and take 20p-25p off 
diesel duty. In the meantime many will continue to find ways around the law. 
Steve Walker said he knew a lot of drivers who regularly got the ferry 
across to France to fill up. "Loads of people leave the country with an 
empty tank, go to Calais and fill up, then come straight back. "Even with 
the price of a P&O ticket, it's cheaper than buying diesel in the UK.

http://www.wusa9.com/rss/local_article.aspx?storyid=72503

Woman Accused Of Setting Gas Price Protest Fires
Posted By: Emily Cyr     2 months ago
DANVILLE, Calif. (AP) - A Danville woman faces arson charges after she 
allegedly set fires at two gas stations and a coffee house, saying she was 
protesting high gas prices.
The woman, 64, remained Thursday in a Contra Costa jail on $810,000 bail on 
suspicion of premeditated arson and burglary.
Police say the woman used a fireplace log and a lighter to set fires in the 
restrooms of an Arco station, a Chevron station and a Starbucks on 
Wednesday. No structural damage was reported at the locations.
Police later found the woman at a nearby fast food restaurant with eight 
fireplace logs with her. She told officers that she was behind the fires and 
said she woke up that morning wanting to do something about high gas prices.
Police say they don't know why she targeted the Starbucks.
Charges have not yet been filed, and it's not clear if the woman has a 
lawyer in the case.

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2008/06/200861501950711484.html

Violent fuel protests in Brussels

Protesting fishermen with banner at right reading 'Brussels, you kill us. 
Thank you' [AFP]

Dozens of fishermen have been arrested in Brussels after violence broke out 
when protesters failed to convince the European Commission to subsidise them 
to soften the blow of soaring fuel prices.

The fishermen, mostly from France and Italy, occupied the commission's 
headquarters, setting off flares against police, who then charged them.
French fishermen say they will be out of work unless they obtain discounted 
diesel at $0.62 per litre as opposed to $1.23 per litre on the open market.

The price of marine diesel has risen by 30 per cent in the past four months.
The protesters also want the European Union to intervene by raising the 
amount of financial aid that a government may grant to its fisheries sector 
without attracting the scrutiny of EU internal market regulators.

A handful of demonstrators met Joe Borghe, the chief political adviser to 
the EU fisheries commissioner, to explain their grievances on Wednesday.

EU leaders will discuss the impact of high oil prices on Europe's fisheries 
sector at a summit in mid-June, Borghe said.

The sector also suffered from overcapacity and badly needed to restructure, 
he said, to the jeers of the fishermen.

Meanwhile, in France, truckers, taxi drivers and farmers also protesting 
against fuel costs blocked traffic on roads leading to Paris' Roissy 
airport, causing 7km of tailbacks.

A similar protest by more than a hundred truckers brought chaos to the ring 
road around the southern city of Toulouse.

While a number of ports, including Dieppe on the Channel coast, remain 
blocked by fishermen seeking more government aid.

The French government is due to hold talks with the various parties involved 
on June 10.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2008/0605/breaking36.htm

Thursday, June 5, 2008, 14:46
Fishermen stage protest in Dublin
Fishermen from around the country have gathered in Dublin today for a 
protest against high fuel prices and cheap fish imports.
The demonstration, which is taking place outside Dáil Éireann this 
afternoon, has been called by the Federation of Irish Fishermen (FIF). The 
federation is an umbrella organisation representing some 90 per cent of 
Irish fishing vessels over 12 metres in length.
The FIF wants fleets to be paid not to go to sea as part of a temporary 
rota-based system regulating commercial fishing as fuel costs soar.
Gerard O’Flynn, a FIF spokesman and chief executive officer of the Irish 
South and West Fish producers' Organisation, said subsidies were now 
necessary to avert a mass wipe-out of working trawlers. “Thousands of jobs 
are threatened if we don’t get through this crisis,” he said.
Mr O’Flynn said unless the European Union introduces subsidies for the 
industry, similar to those given to farmers and food producers, then huge 
numbers of fishermen face bankruptcy. The FIF said 50 to 70 per cent of a 
trawler’s turnover is being spent on fuel.
The organisation also wants stricter controls on the traceability so 
consumers can see where the fish they are buying was caught.
Last Friday, dozens of fishermen from Kilmore Quay, Co Wexford, handed out 
free fish on O'Connell Bridge in Dublin to highlight what they see as 
growing threats to their livelihood.
This week has also seen Irish fishermen tying up their boats in support of a 
Europe-wide industry protest over fuel costs and other problems which are 
impacting on the sector.
Yesterday, fishermen from across Europe who were demonstrating against the 
soaring price of fuel clashed with police near the EU's headquarters in 
Brussels after a peaceful morning stand-off turned violent.
Hundreds of fishermen, mostly from France and Italy, occupied the district's 
main avenue and a smaller group set off flares against police, who charged 
them. Calm was later restored.
EU Fisheries Commissioner Joe Borg has acknowledged that there is a crisis 
in the fishing industry. Earlier this week he confirmed that there had been 
a 240 per cent hike in the price of fuel since 2004, but has ruled out fuel 
subsidies or higher quotas as “false solutions”.
EU leaders are set to discuss the impact of high oil prices on Europe's 
fisheries sector at a summit on June 23rd.
Additional reporting PA

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=575079&rss=yes

Horse-and-cart protest against fuel cost
12:16 AEST Thu Jun 5 2008
66 days 27 minutes ago

Jane Smith took to her horse to protest against petrol prices (AAP)

A woman has taken a horse and cart on a six-hour ride to a south-east 
Queensland town in a protest against petrol prices.
Jane Smith, 45, took her clydesdale Isabelle on a 34km round trip from her 
home at Booie to Kingaroy, north of Brisbane, last Thursday while displaying 
a banner which read: "Petrol prices suk".
Ms Smith said the protest went down well with locals who applauded her as 
she rode down the main street.
She said the ride would become a regular occurrence if petrol prices kept 
rising.
"It's a real worry," she told AAP.
"If the petrol prices get to two dollars a litre I really think that I might 
just have to get her (Isabelle) a bit fitter and do it more often, because 
when you're on the pension and you've got a mortgage, petrol is just 
something else that's another stab at you and makes it harder to live.
"If we have to do it more often they might just have to get council to put 
holding yards near the supermarket so we can actually start doing it 
regularly."
She said the ride had been a hard slog, but horse feed was definitely 
cheaper than petrol.
"It certainly was painful, but if we all just sit back and just let life 
happen I just think the government will just continue on the way they want 
to," she said.
"Someone's got to stand up and shout occasionally.
"Even though sometimes we get knocked down, we've got to have a say."

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1024356/Bikers-stop-motorways-fuel-protest.html

Bikers stop motorways in fuel protest
By James Tozer
Last updated at 11:10 PM on 05th June 2008
Comments (26)
Add to My Stories
Hundreds of bikers brought busy motorways to a near-standstill yesterday in 
protest at the ever-rising cost of fuel.
As many as 500 gathered near Manchester early in the morning before forming 
the slow-moving convoy, causing massive rush-hour queues.
The protest, which came after lorry drivers held a similar rally in London 
last month, was organised by just two motorbike riders, with word spread by 
text message and over the internet.
Enlarge
Around 1,500 bikers are taking part in the protest, understood to be led by 
two protesters, known only as Maverick and Triumph Man
Police closed all three lanes of the westbound M62 between Rochdale and 
Manchester to allow the riders to join from Birch services, where they had 
gathered.
Supported by taxis, lorries and even an ice cream van, they crawled along 
the motorway at just 15mph, delaying rush-hour drivers by around 
half-an-hour.
Many motorists honked their horns in support and supporters waved and gave 
thumbs-up as the convoy passed by, working its way around the M60, onto the 
M602 and finally finishing in Salford Quays.
It is the latest in a series of protests as petrol prices have soared to an 
average of £1.15-a-litre, around half of which is made up of tax, according 
to the AA.
Enlarge
Commuters faced chaos in Greater Manchester this morning as bikers led a 
rush-hour fuel protest along the M60 at Junction 16
The protesters have called on the Government to scrap VAT on fuel.
Afterwards one of the organisers, known only as "Maverick", said: "This has 
turned out better than I expected, it's absolutely fantastic.
"To be honest, I'd be happy with ten. The amount that turned out today, I 
can't thank those guys enough, they've really helped to get the word out."
Protester Eric Curren, 56, said: "I've been biking for the last 40 years and 
it's never been this bad. I don't have any other means of transport so it's 
essential for me to get about."

Onlookers wave their support to the protesters
A 42-year-old rider from Bradford who gave his name as "Bobcat" said: "It 
used to cost me just £7 to fill up the bike. Now it costs £15.
"It doesn't sound like much to pay but it really cuts down on where I can 
go. Biking is my hobby. It's a great hobby and I don't see why I should be 
penalised."
Onlooker Gary Hutchinson, 47, a technical support worker from Gorton, said: 
"I totally back them. Fuel duty in this country is outrageous - the 
Government are making a killing on the back of the motorists.
"I hope that people continue to protest like this and that the government 
start listening to us."
And Salford garage owner Michael Cleary, 56, said: "I think it's brilliant. 
It's a pity they're not blocking off Downing Street and London too."
Police said around 20 lorry drivers who took part in the protest broke away 
from the group and drove more slowly than had been agreed in advance. They 
were issued with warnings and told they could have their vehicles seized.
The bikers had hoped to lead their convoy into the centre of Manchester, but 
were prevented from doing so by Highways Agency staff, and in protest they 
stopped their engines and blocked the M602 for a further ten minutes.
A spokesman for the Highways Agency said the convoy had "clearly caused some 
disruption" but that this had been kept to a minimum.
"It is hard to tell exactly what impact this had but it is fair to say the 
rush hour has been extended by at least half an hour and drivers trying to 
join the motorway have had to wait," he added.
Assistant Chief Constable Ian Hopkins, of Greater Manchester Police, said: 
"The vast majority of those taking part have expressed their views in a way 
that was agreed with police, that was safe for motorists and that caused 
minimum disruption."
The Treasury has made a windfall of more than £1billion on petrol since the 
last Budget in March as a result of record oil prices, leading to calls for 
a hike in fuel duty planned for October to be postponed.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/0530/1212095649256.html

Friday, May 30, 2008
Free fish in Dublin today as fishermen protest
LORNA SIGGINS, Marine Correspondent
FISHERMEN FROM the southeast aim to distribute free fillets in Dublin city 
centre today as part of a protest over spiralling fuel costs and the impact 
of State controls on the Irish fleet.
The alleged “heavy handed” approach of Sea Fisheries Protection Authority 
officers and rising diesel bills will be the main focus of criticism by the 
group of up to 100 skippers and owners from the southeast who plan to march 
to Leinster House.
The group of protesters are not supported officially by the main fishing 
industry organisations, representatives of which held talks with the new 
Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, Brendan Smith, yesterday on issues 
such as diesel price rises.
However, Chaz Bates of Kilmore Quay, spokesman for the protesters, said that 
frustration was at such a level that skippers and crew believed they had to 
demonstrate.
As part of the action, Mr Bates and colleagues will fillet and distribute 
freshly caught fish to the public, and will then perform a ceremonial 
“dumping” of a box of fish into the Liffey.
“This is to emphasise the environmental madness of discarding, which is what 
the European Commission expects us to do under the common fisheries policy,” 
Mr Bates said yesterday.
Fuel bills are now consuming over 60 per cent of a boat’s gross earnings, 
and the Irish South and West Fishermen’s Organisation has called on the 
Minister to establish an immediate task force to examine all options – 
similar to that already established by Scottish fisheries secretary Richard 
Lochhead.
Fine Gael MEP Avril Doyle, who is vice-president of the European Parliament’s 
fisheries committee, said that her group will ask the EU Council of 
Ministers and the European Commission to take new measures which extend 
beyond “de minimis aid” for vessel owners hit by fuel costs.
The maximum grant aid allowable under the “de minimis” system is €30,000 
which is “paltry” when compared to €300,000 in aid assigned to the 
agriculture sector, she said.

http://www.radionetherlands.nl/currentaffairs/region/netherlands/080612-truckers-protest-mc

Dutch hauliers in fuel price protests
by Arwen van Grafhorst
12-06-2008
Dutch lorry drivers have joined the international protests against high fuel 
prices. However, in marked contrast to the situation in Spain and Portugal, 
the protests passed off peacefully. That's all the more notable because fuel 
tax in the Netherlands is higher than elsewhere.

At several locations in the Netherlands around noon on Thursday, lorry 
drivers drove at a speed of 50 kilometres per hour to protest against the 
high fuel prices. The action lasted only half an hour and resulted in a 
limited number of traffic jams. The Dutch lorry drivers decided against 
forming blockades like their colleagues did in Spain, because it would 
affect too many people and result in substantial financial losses for a 
large number of businesses.

Southern Europe
The situation in southern Europe is much more grim. Tens of thousands of 
lorry drivers have created blockades and occupied border crossings. The 
protests have caused widespread chaos. In Portugal and Spain, two drivers 
lost their lives when they were overrun by lorries during protests.

Spanish lorry drivers observe a minute of silence in memory of their dead 
colleagues
(Photo: EPA/Alfredo Aldai)

Coming back from Spain, Dutch lorry driver Hans Oostwal spent several days 
stuck in traffic jams. He describes how his Spanish colleagues created 
gridlock:
"They were driving very slowly, three abreast, followed by a single lorry, 
and then another five or six. They were weaving across the motorway. You 
couldn't go right and you couldn't go left".

Portuguese settlement
The protests in Portugal ended on Thursday. The Portuguese government 
offered the lorry drivers a tax rebate to compensate for the expensive 
diesel fuel. But the protests in Spain are still ongoing, despite the fact 
that police forcibly ended a number of blockades.
The consequences of the lorry drivers' actions are evident across Spain. 
Supermarkets are nearly out of fresh produce, people are hoarding fuel, and 
companies which have not received shipments of new parts have been forced to 
close temporarily.

So the whole of Europe is clearly suffering from the high fuel prices. Small 
transport companies are in trouble, and nowhere more so than in the 
Netherlands. Nowhere in Europe are fuel taxes as high as in the Netherlands, 
and the tax on diesel will go up by another three cents per litre on 1 July.
In the Netherlands, motorists pay between 1.35 and 1.42 euros for a litre of 
diesel fuel. Transport and Logistics Netherlands says that after the tax 
rise, around 40 cents of that amount will go to the tax office.


Dutch hauliers want more stable system
Branch organisation Transport and Logistics Netherlands, which took the 
initiative for today's actions, wants the government to cancel the tax 
increase or provide some sort of compensation in these difficult times. The 
organisation fears otherwise Dutch hauliers will no longer be able to 
compete. Alexander Sakkers from van Transport and Logistics Netherlands 
explains why: "In the past five years, we lost 40 percent of our market 
position in Europe. If things continue like they have been doing, we will 
have a major problem with employment in the sector".
Transport and Logistics Netherlands argues for the introduction of a system 
to stabilise diesel prices. Which means that when oil prices go up, fuel tax 
goes down and vice versa. The system has already been introduced in some 
other European countries such as Belgium.

Consumers must economise
However, there is little chance of the Dutch government heeding this advice. 
It wants to get the message across that consumers must economise in times of 
scarcity.

Analyst Herman Bots says this is a sound policy, because consumers are more 
inclined to look for alternatives when they feel the effects of expensive 
fuel in their pocket books. Mr Bots does not expect the Dutch to start 
selling their cars en masse. But they will demand more fuel efficient 
engines from car makers and buy smaller vehicles.

And Dutch lorry drivers may find some comfort in the knowledge that the 
government has promised to meet with the transport sector to discuss their 
problems.

http://www.iii.co.uk/shares/?type=news&articleid=6755382&action=article

(Updates to add detail of police intervention and strike bacground)
LISBON (Thomson Financial) - A Portuguese truck driver was killed near 
Alcanena, north of Lisbon, as he tried to stop a lorry at a road block set 
up by truckers protesting against high fuel prices, police said Tuesday.
One fellow striker told Portugal's Lusa news agency that the man was run 
over by a heavy goods lorry as he signalled for it to stop.
Police officers at the scene -- about 100 kilometres (60 miles) from the 
Portuguese capital -- immediately arrested the driver of the lorry, he said.
But Lieutenant Colonel Costa Lima, of the Republican National Guard, told 
TSF radio that the striker had been hanging onto the vehicle, which had 
failed to stop, and had fallen under its wheels.
Most lorry drivers in Portugal joined an indefinite strike on Monday to 
protest the soaring price of diesel.
On Tuesday, however, some drivers in the centre of the country had returned 
to work with the Lisbon government predicting a deal later this week.
Tens of thousands of truckers across Spain, France and Portugal are on 
strike or joining protests to demand government help to offset higher fuel 
costs. tf.TFN-Europe_newsdesk at thomsonreuters.com afp/ms1/scl/lam

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/06/12/2272082.htm

Spain's car plants shut as fuel protests mount
Posted Thu Jun 12, 2008 5:36am AEST
Spain's car industry has come to a virtual standstill because of a 
nationwide strike by truck drivers angry at the soaring price of fuel.
The car makers' association Anfac said all of Spain's 18 car factories, 
which produce 13,000 vehicles a day and account for about 5 per cent of 
Spain's GDP, would be out of action by Thursday (local time) because of a 
lack of parts and fuel.
In recent days truckers across Spain have also blocked deliveries of fuel 
and food - sparking a rush by consumers to stockpile staple goods - and have 
jammed up motorways, causing travel chaos for millions.
The dispute has become increasingly violent - one striker was killed on 
Tuesday.
Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba said police had arrested at least 
51 protesters since the strike began on Monday, 34 of them for blocking the 
main motorway from Madrid to the north.
Police have so far escorted almost 3,000 trucks carrying food, fuel and 
medical supplies to their destinations, and Mr Rubalcaba told distributors 
to call police if they needed protection to move goods by road.
He warned those on the picket lines that, although they had a right to 
strike, they had no right to hurt the interests of ordinary people.
"We will continue to act with maximum force against those who want to 
disturb public order," he told a news conference.
Seat, Mercedes Benz, Renault, Nissan, Citroen, Peugeot and Iveco all have 
factories in Spain as does Ford, whose Vigo plant was one of the few still 
operating on Wednesday, an Anfac spokesman said.
Fuel shortages
Some parts of Spain were already suffering fuel shortages after protesters 
picketed fuel depots.
Many market stall holders - particularly traders in fruit, vegetables and 
fish - say they only have supplies for another day or two. Some Madrid 
supermarkets were stripped bare of all fresh meat, fish vegetables and 
fruit.
One truck driver sleeping at a picket line near the south-east city Alicante 
suffered severe burns when his cab caught fire in what police suspect was 
arson.
The fire which started at 4am (local time) completely destroyed the vehicle 
and three other trucks.
A day earlier, one striking truck driver was run over by a van and killed in 
Granada, while in Portugal, a striker died as he tried to stop a truck on a 
road north of Lisbon.
The Portuguese capital's main airport ran out of fuel because of the 
strike - causing delays but no cancellations - but Spain's main airports are 
supplied by pipelines and were unaffected, a spokeswoman at the airport 
operator AENA said.
Spanish Infrastructure Minister Magdalena Alvarez told parliament the 
Government and the main haulage association had agreed terms.
However, the two other groups, representing most of the strikers, were 
continuing to demand that the Government set a minimum tariff for their 
services, which Mr Alvarez said was impossible.
In the north-east region of Catalonia, police said they had managed to clear 
protesters and reopen the Jonquera border crossing with France.
Diesel has risen to around 1.30 euros a litre from 0.95 euros a year ago, 
pushing heavy fuel users such as truck and taxi drivers, fishermen and 
farmers across Europe to demand support from their governments.
- Reuters

http://www.heraldtimesonline.com/stories/2008/06/30/nationworld.nw-847105.sto

Man torches car in protest over high gas prices
Associated Press
June 30, 2008

BERLIN (AP) — A German man doused his BMW with gasoline and torched it on 
Friday in protest at skyrocketing fuel costs, police said.
The unemployed 30-year-old man drove the black 1995 BMW 3-series sedan onto 
the lawn outside Frankfurt's convention center grounds at about 7:30 a.m., 
police spokesman Karlheinz Wagner said.
He then jumped out, emptied a canister of gas over the vehicle, and set fire 
to it, Wagner said.
By the time the fire department got to the scene, the car was entirely 
burned out.
The Bavarian man, whose name was being withheld because he has not been 
charged with a crime, told police that gas prices were so high he could no 
longer afford to drive the vehicle.
As in many countries, gasoline prices have risen steadily in Germany; a 
liter of regular gasoline now costs about €1.55, or $9.40 per gallon.
Police were investigating whether the man could be charged with violating 
German environmental laws with the stunt, Wagner said. Penalties range from 
fines to five years in prison.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,371230,00.html

Angry Kids Protest Gas Prices After Mom Cancels Cable TV
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
 AP

June 23: Pyper and Sadie Vance protest high gas prices after their mother 
was unable to pay the cable bill for their cartoons due to high gas prices.
SALT LAKE CITY —  Sadie and Pyper Vance have had just about enough of high 
gas prices. The sisters are still years away from being old enough to drive, 
but that doesn't mean the $4 per gallon price tag isn't hitting them as hard 
as anyone else.
Cable TV was one of the family's budget-cutting casualties, leaving Sadie, 
9, and her 7-year-old sister without their favorite cartoons and shows.
"Gas prices are too high," Sadie said. "I just decided to come and protest 
so they'd go down."
The girls marched through downtown Monday chanting and carrying signs made 
from old campaign signs.
"All of my mom's monny goes to the gas tank!" Pyper's sign read. Sadie 
carried a sign asking drivers to honk to lower gas prices — adding that her 
mom had to cut "cabel."
The girls got some waves and a few thumbs-up to show support.
"I think it's great," said Hamid Tayeb, who was walking past on his lunch 
break. "It's unfortunate that kids are doing it before we do."

http://www.dailycommercialnews.com/article/id27610

May 8, 2008

VINCE VERSACE
In an attempt to bring attention to issues such as excess loading and rising 
fuel costs, about 150 dump truck drivers took to Toronto’s main highways in 
a slow-rolling protest.
Rolling dump truck protest takes to the highway
VINCE VERSACE
staff writer
A convoy of 150 dump trucks recently roared its way from a muddy Brampton 
parking lot and on to Toronto’s main highways to protest excess loading and 
skyrocketing fuel costs.
The Ontario Dump Truck Association (ODTA) organized the rolling protest, 
which started at Derry and Dixie roads on Thursday, May 8. The ODTA wants to 
send a message to contractors, excavators, road builders and pavers that 
they cannot continue to face financial hardships and strain.
“The diesel costs over the last five years have soared from 50 to 60 cents a 
litre to $1.35,” says Raj Banipal, a dump truck driver.
“We cannot survive such big increases, which is why we want a raise.” ODTA 
drivers currently charge $75 an hour for their services and they want to 
immediately increase this to $90 an hour.
Truck maintenance and increasing insurance costs also are placing a strain 
on dump truck operators, the ODTA says.
“Simply put, without an increase, we can no longer continue to operate in a 
safe and profitable manner,” states Gary Grewal, president of the ODTA, in 
an open letter to excavation and construction industry officials.
The ODTA says its rolling truck protest is both a public awareness 
initiative and a call to all dump truck operators to come together, with one 
voice, and demand a standard hourly wage.
The overloading of trucks is a major health and safety concern, says 
Banipal. The trucks are designed to haul around 21 tonnes but at the times 
they can carry up to 30 tonnes.
“We can refuse to the carry load, but then there is a chance you can never 
return to that work site,” explains Banipal.
The convoy of dump trucks headed west on Derry Road to Hwy. 410, south to 
Hwy. 401 and east across Toronto to the Don Valley Parkway. The trucks then 
rolled south to the Gardiner Expressway, west to Hwy. 427, north to the 401 
and then west to the 410 to where they started, completing their protest in 
three hours.

http://en.rian.ru/video/20080711/113794883.html

18:56 11/07/2008
Krasnoyarsk motorists protest gasoline prices
The price of AI-92 grade gasoline in Krasnoyarsk has exceeded 25 rubles per 
liter. Motorists rallied to show indignation. Protesters say a further rise 
in fuel prices could have unpredictable consequences. (92 sec./3.57Mb, 
shows: 26)

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,24062966-5006009,00.html?from=public_rss

Truckies go-slow from Sutton Forest to Casula over fuel
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July 23, 2008 12:00am
A CONVOY of trucks will today roll into Sydney in another "go-slow protest" 
over the rising cost of fuel.
The Transport Workers Union said the drivers' action was part of a campaign 
for a national system of enforceable rates and cost recovery from major 
retailers.
Drivers will start at Sutton Forest in the Southern Highlands and travel 
north along the Hume Highway to Casula.
Earlier this month, up to 100 trucks travelled between 60km/h and 80km/h 
down the F3 to Sydney during the morning peak.
"Drivers are having to absorb the spikes in fuel prices and the cost of 
maintaining their vehicles," the TWU's Richard Olsen said.
The convoy set off at about 6am and was expected to arrive in Sydney during 
the morning peak, finishing at Casula about 8.30am.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storyPage.aspx?storyId=125959

Fishermen start 10-km swim to Senate to protest oil price hikes
Activists on Tuesday went on a 10-kilometer swim protest at the Manila Bay 
to urge the Senate to take action on the non-stop increase of prices of 
petroleum products.
Fernando Hicap, chairman of the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng 
Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), said the protest swim will start at 10 a.m. in 
Bacoor, Cavite.
The protesting swimmers were expected to reach the Philippine Senate 
compound in Pasay City at noon.
Hicap said the 10-kilometer swim symbolizes the fishermen's hardships due to 
the increasing prices of petroleum products. He said several fishermen have 
stopped sailing because of their inability to buy high priced pump products.
Hicap said the swimmers will deliver a letter to Senate President Manuel 
Villar Jr. They will urge the upper chamber's president to act against the 
weekly increases of pump product prices.
On Saturday, oil companies increased by P3 per liter their diesel products, 
which brought the pump product's price near P60. With Malacañang's pleading, 
the oil companies cut the diesel price increase by P1.50 on Sunday.
The oil companies also increased the prices of their gasoline and kerosene 
products by P1.00.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/national/news/20080819p2a00m0na012000c.html

Saury fishing boats suspend operations across Japan to protest high fuel 
prices
About 230 saury fishing boats halted operations across Japan on Monday to 
highlight their financial struggle caused by surging fuel prices.
The boats belonging to a national Pacific saury fishing cooperative and a 
Pacific saury fishing group in eastern Hokkaido were unable to participate 
in a major nationwide fishing strike on July 15 because the seasonal ban on 
that type of fishing was still in place at the time.
As a result of the suspension of operations, no Pacific saury fish were 
landed on Tuesday morning, but the strike was unlikely to have a major 
effect on the price of the fish, according to one fisheries wholesaler.
The "bouke-ami" method of fishing for Pacific saury uses lights to attract 
the fish, which are scooped up in nets attached to poles. Since fuel is used 
to operate the lights, the boats cost more to run, which is said to cause a 
marked decline in profit margins.
(Mainichi Japan) August 19, 2008