Protests against the French government's culling policy for lumpy skin disease (DNC)-affected herds persisted in southwest France on December 24, 2025, with blockades holding firm amid Christmas celebrations including masses, dinners, and tractor parades.
The farmers' mobilization against lumpy skin disease (DNC) culling, which intensified with highway blockades starting December 13, showed no signs of abating on Christmas Eve. Demonstrators maintained road occupations while incorporating holiday events to sustain morale and local support.
In Carbonne (Haute-Garonne) on the A64, a 40-meter tent hosted a Christmas mass for hundreds, with the camp active since December 12. In Cestas (Gironde) on the A63, about 40 protesters shared a potluck dinner under a bridge, complete with tents, grills, heaters, and a nativity scene; a market and mass were also planned. In Briscous (Pyrénées-Atlantiques) on the A64, a midnight mass preceded a tractor parade in Pau.
Disruptions continued on the A63 south of Bordeaux, A64 from Toulouse to Bayonne, A65 at Thèze, and A75 in Lozère and Aveyron. The Interior Ministry noted 15 actions with 140 participants. Protest leader Jérôme Bayle emphasized ongoing demands to revise culling rules and support struggling farmers into 2026. Farmer Benjamin Roquebert in Carbonne vowed persistence: “The survival of our farms is at stake.”
A new DNC case in Juzet-d'Izaut led to 72 cows culled in Haute-Garonne, raising the national total to 115 outbreaks since June.
