UberPop suspends service in France after protests

Ride-hailing service Uber said Friday that it would suspend its UberPop service in France, a move that comes after protests from taxi drivers there over what they feel is the U.S. firm's unfair competitive advantage.

Thibaud Simphal, head of Uber France, made the announcement during an interview with Le Monde.

He said UberPop would be suspended starting at 8 p.m. local time (2 p.m. ET).

UberX will continue to operate as usual, according to an Uber spokesperson.

French authorities had previously said that UberPop — a service that doesn't require drivers to be trained or licensed — would be banned starting last January.

Last week, taxi drivers in Paris blocked roads, started fires and overturned cars as they went on strike against the car service.

On June 29, after the protests, Simphal and Uber's European General Manager Pierre-Dimitri Gore-Coty were taken into custody in Paris and charged with running an "illicit" business. Agence France-Presse had first reported the news.