French Police Are Checking Fuel Tanks Before Allowing People To Fill Up Over Shortages

French police appear to be checking fuel tanks before allowing people to fill up their cars as the nation experiences severe shortages, according to one local news outlet.

France24 reported Saturday that some motorists have been turned away in Arras as the nation struggles with fuel strikes spurring shortages. One clip shows a motorist arriving at a fueling station only to be told he could not fill up his tank.

“How much do you have sir?” one policeman appears to ask the motorist.

“I’m three-quarters full, I was hoping for—” the man responds, according to the video’s English subtitles.

“Three-quarters? Can’t be done,” the policeman says, cutting him off. “No, no.”

France24 reported that only those with “priority occupations” are being permitted to fuel up.

Workers at TotalEnergies and Esso-ExxonMobil have been striking, while three out of six refineries are shut down to worker shortages that have cut production by 60%, according to France24. TotalEnergies has about 3,500 petrol stations throughout the nation, making up nearly one third of all stations, according to France24.

Workers are reportedly demanding salary increases amid a rise in the cost of living. (RELATED: Europe Begs Authoritarian Countries For Gas Amid Energy Crisis)

France has had to tap into its strategic fuel reserves to supply petrol stations, Reuters reported. Government spokesman Olivier Veran urged people not to panic, according to Reuters.

“We are obviously monitoring very, very closely this situation together with the operators and, here and there, when it was necessary, we have used our strategic stocks to enable the stations to be supplied,” Veran reportedly said.

Other local governments are taking measures to limit who can buy fuel, with authorities in Hauts-de-France prohibiting the sale of petrol and diesel in portable containers, according to Reuters.