Spanish taxi drivers step up protests against ride applications

Jan. 28 (UPI) -- Some 2,000 taxi drivers met in a centric area of Madrid Monday, using fireworks and blocking roads in a bid to challenge ride-share companies like Uber.

Taxi drivers organized the Monday protests as they intensified an eight-day strike against the rival companies, El Pais reported. Riot police and tow trucks were sent to clear roads.

There were three driver demonstrations Monday.

The strike started on Jan. 20 when drivers in Madrid -- like those in many other cities hampered by competition from ride-hailing apps -- demanded stricter regulation of such services.

Monday, the striking drivers forced disabled passengers of a vehicle for-hire to come down from a vehicle, said the director of Venze, which operates a mobile application specialized in transportation of people with disability, El Mundo reported.

Jose Manuel Rodriguez, a central government official, said the right to protest does not mean demonstrators are allowed to paralyze traffic.

Taxi drivers from several areas of the country decided to bring protests to Madrid, the reports said.