Uber announced Friday that it was suspending its operations in France, a week after hundreds of taxi drivers took to the streets to angrily protest the popular low-cost car service.
The head of Uber France, Thibaud Simphal, told the newspaper Le Monde that the company was scaling back its operation "in the spirit of bringing peace."
Simphal said he hoped to open dialogue with authorities and show that the San Francisco-based business is committed to acting responsibly. However, he added that the decision to suspend services from 6 p.m. Friday was also partly taken to ensure Uber's drivers were safe.