Thousands of farmers from at least 15 EU member states have gathered in Strasbourg to take their fight against the EU-Mercosur free trade deal to MEPs.

Tear gas was deployed by police as they clashed with some of the protesters on the streets.

The demonstration outside the European Parliament buildings were backed by EU farm group Copa, which called on MEPs to back the three demands its members took with them to the streets in Brussels in December.

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These were fair standards on trade, a strong post-2027 CAP and a simplification of farm regulations.

Copa has also called on MEPs to back a motion due before the Parliament on Wednesday seeking to refer the Mercosur deal to the European Court of Justice.

IFA president Francie Gorman addressed protesters from the stage, where he said that the Mercosur deal has been “bitterly opposed” by the IFA for the last 20 years.

“We were in Brazil 20 years ago when we showed they do not produce beef to the same standards as we do in Europe,” Gorman commented.

“We went back three months ago and found that in 20 years nothing has changed and yet we have a Commission and a Council trying to ram a deal down our throats that is going to destroy family farming in Europe.

“The message to our MEPs behind me here today when they go to vote on this issue that they take into account the views of farmers and rural people in Europe and see that this deal is stopped and that they vote no to Mercosur.”

The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) also attended the demonstration in Strasbourg, with its president Sean McNamara stating that the group hoped to persuade MEPs to vote no Mercosur.

“No amount of alleged safeguards or compensation will protect either farmers or consumers from the dangerous ramifications of this deal,” McNamara said.

“Mercosur is fundamentally flawed and no amount of political spin will change that, which is why we are in Strasbourg today to convince even more MEPs to vote no.”

The ICSA leader added that Irish MEPs who have already publicly committed to voting against Mercosur “deserve credit for standing up for Irish farmers” but those who have said they will yes must now justify their voting intentions.