Taxis jam Lisbon traffic in latest European Uber protest

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A taxi decorated with a Portuguese flag and a sign with the slogan "Stop Uber" drives with others through Lisbon during a protest against ride-hailing service Uber, Friday, April 29, 2016. The latest protest by European taxi drivers against Uber has snarled traffic in Lisbon as hundreds of slow-moving taxis snaked their way across the Portuguese capital. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

LISBON, Portugal – The latest protest by European taxi drivers against ride-hailing service Uber has snarled traffic in Lisbon, creating long delays during the morning rush hour as hundreds of slow-moving taxis snaked their way across the Portuguese capital.

Two labour groups representing around 13,000 Portuguese taxi drivers are pressuring the government to crack down on Uber. They claim Uber drivers are illegal because they have no fixed prices and no accident insurance and complain that Portugal already has too many taxis.

Uber insists it operates within the law.

The Portuguese government says it is studying the legal arguments and awaiting guidance from European Commission, the European Union’s executive arm.

The protest Friday was the biggest so far by Portuguese taxi drivers who also demonstrated in the cities of Porto and Faro.

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