Angry French winegrowers raid government building

TOULOUSE, France (Reuters) -- French winegrowers protesting wine imports ransacked a Trade Ministry building and lifted motorway toll barriers in the southern region of Montpellier on Tuesday, police said.

They said about 15 protesters stormed into the building of the direction for consumers affairs, a branch of the Trade Ministry, in Montpellier at opening time.

"For more than one hour, these winegrowers ransacked a dozen offices and threw computers out of the windows," a staff member said.

He said the protesters caused a lot of damage but did not attack the staff.

Simultaneously, other protesters briefly occupied two toll stations near Montpellier on the A9 motorway to Spain.

They lifted up toll barriers and let motorists drive through free of charge after handing them leaflets denouncing "the increasingly massive imports of foreign wines that threaten to ruin the local wine industry."

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