It started in late August with a blockade of English Channel ports by French fishermen, then spread across France as furious lorry drivers, farmers and taxi drivers blocked oil refineries and depots to protest against high fuel prices.

Within days, concessions by the French government sparked similar protests in Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK, clogging cities, blocking highways and reducing the flow of fuel to a trickle. Hospitals cancelled operations and stores restricted food supplies as the fuel shortage hit millions of Europeans. Our special report examines the crisis with stories, videos and interactive elements.