Fuel Price Protests Running Strong From North Sea to Mediterranean

LONDON — Truckers, farmers and fishermen launched fuel price protests from the North Sea to the Mediterranean on Tuesday as divisions deepened among European governments on how to deal with the continuing unrest.

Traffic disruptions or outright blockades erupted in Spain, Germany, Sweden and Israel. In Ireland, most of the country’s fishermen tethered their boats in a 24-hour work stoppage.

European Union transport ministers moved the venue of a crisis meeting planned for today from Brussels to Luxembourg amid fears that truckers could repeat protests that brought the Belgian capital to a standstill last week.

Germany launched a broadside against other European governments for caving in to demands for fuel tax cuts from truck drivers and farmers angered by oil prices hovering near 10-year highs.

“It is not very sensible to react with tax cuts in such a situation,” German Federal Bank President Ernst Welteke said.

Spain appeared hardest hit by Tuesday’s protests. An estimated 100,000 farmers drove tractors through Madrid and other cities, warning of more aggressive action if there was no agreement to compensate them for higher fuel costs.