European cabbies protest

Thousands of taxi drivers in London, Paris, Madrid, Berlin and other major European cities protest by staging a slow-down that snarls traffic, in some cases, for much of the afternoon.  In Rio de Janeiro, dozens of taxis line up and drive slowly down the Copacabana beachfront.  A London cab driver says:

There’s room for everyone, but you have to obey the law. Uber isn’t properly regulated. It’s a slippery slope. Quality of life will go down if these services are allowed to operate.

The company’s regional general manager for northern Europe says:

In Paris, the number of taxis hasn’t changed since the 1950s.  The strikes are an attempt to desperately fight against competition in the market.