"French farmers marched through the eastern city of Chalon-sur-Saone on Saturday, staging a symbolic 'funeral of French agriculture' to protest the EU-Mercosur trade deal as it was being signed by leaders in Paraguay Footage shows tractors leading the procession, including one carrying a coffin and demonstrator costumed as the 'Grim Reaper.' Protesters followed on foot, waving French flags and hoisting placards before gathering for speeches. "Ursula von der Leyen and the European Commission are creating the conditions for the disappearance of agriculture in France and in almost the whole of Europe," one protester claimed. Demonstrators directed their anger at both EU and French leadership, with one protester accusing the local government of being 'guilty.' "The European Union - they are the ones leading the dance. So what do you want as long as they are in power? In any case, Macron is nothing but a clown. He acts, he obeys orders from… from the hyena. So that's that," she said. Farmers in the French capital have been protesting the EU-Mercosur deal for days, blocking the National Assembly with tractors and laying tonnes of potatoes. They say the trade deal would create unfair market competition by allowing cheaper products from South American countries. The European Union and Mercosur officially signed the free trade agreement in Asuncion on Saturday, concluding 25 years of negotiations and establishing one of the world's largest free-trade zones. The agreement covers a market of more than 780 million people, accounting for roughly one-quarter of global GDP. It eliminates most tariff and non-tariff barriers, with around 92% of trade between the blocs expected to be tariff-free within 15 years. The pact positions Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay as key partners for European supply chains, despite opposition from Poland, Hungary, Ireland and France."