France's Hollande condemns unacceptable Uber protests

French President Francois Hollande on Friday condemned violent protests by taxi drivers against the ride-booking app Uber, but said the service should be taken off the road.

Hollande described the demonstrations, in which US rocker Courtney Love was caught up, as "unacceptable violence in a democracy, in a country like France."

But Hollande, attending an EU leaders summit in Brussels, added: "UberPOP should be dissolved and declared illegal."

Around 3,000 traditional taxi drivers took part in the protests, blocking access to the capital's Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports, setting fire to vehicles and preventing cars reaching train stations around the country.

Ten people were arrested, seven police officers were injured and 70 vehicles were damaged in clashes between Uber drivers and taxi drivers.

The service, known as UberPOP, has been illegal in France since January but the law has proved difficult to enforce and it continues to operate.

Love, the widow of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, was caught up in a confrontation near Charles de Gaulle airport.

She tweeted that protesters "ambushed" her vehicle and "were holding our driver hostage" and appealed to the French president for help, in typically colourful language.
Source: AFP