Paris taxi drivers vow to disrupt French Open as protests escalate

PARIS (AP) — Striking taxi drivers in Paris are threatening to take their protest to the French Open and block access to Roland-Garros on Monday if the government does not listen to their demands.

The drivers are worried about threats to their income and have already brought sections of Parisian traffic to a standstill for five straight days, gathering at landmarks such as the Arc de Triomphe and blocking roads while honking horns and flashing their car lights.

The French Open begins on Sunday.

“If the government doesn’t listen, we’ll take care of Roland-Garros,” Emmanuelle Cordier, president of the National Taxi Federation, warned on Saturday, just hours before a meeting with the prime minister and transport minister.

The drivers are unhappy with new medical transport rules and competition from ride-hailing apps. Their movement has spread beyond the capital. Drivers in cities like Marseille and Perpignan in the south of France have joined the demonstrations.

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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis