French police arrest 18 as farmers try to block Paris food market Rungis

French police have arrested 18 people as farmers tried to block the Paris wholesale food market at Rungis, a police prefecture source said on Wednesday.

"We have a red line with regard to blocking Rungis. Eighteen people have been arrested in line with Paris police prefecture instructions," a police official said.

Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin has warned that while farmers' protests on highways would be tolerated, police would not allow farmers to block airports or the Rungis market, where shops, supermarkets and restaurants from France and beyond buy fresh food.