French police clash violently with protesters on Champs Elysees over petrol costs

[rooster59]

French police clash violently with protesters on Champs Elysees over petrol costs

By Dominique Vidalon and Emmanuel Jarry

 

A protester is seen next to a burning barricade during a "Yellow vest" protests against higher fuel prices, on the Champs-Elysees in Paris, France, November 24, 2018. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

 

PARIS (Reuters) - Police firing tear gas and water cannons clashed in Paris on Saturday with thousands of protesters angry over rising car fuel costs and President Emmanuel Macron's economic policies, the second weekend of "yellow vest" protests across France.

 

As night fell, the famed Champs-Elysees avenue, where fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld switched on the red lights of Christmas just a few days ago, was still aglow with fires lit by protesters.

 

President Emmanuel Macron thanked police forces for their" courage and professionalism" in dealing with demonstrators as calm progressively returned to the Champs Elysees.

 

"Shame on those who attacked them ... There is no room for this violence in the Republic," Macron said on Twitter.

 

During the clashes a trailer was set on fire and exploded on the Champs Elysees, France's most famous tourist mile, and a man who tried to attack fire fighters was overpowered by some of the demonstrators themselves.

 

On the nearby Avenue de Friedland, police fired special rubber balls to control demonstrators, who carried French flags or slogans, saying "Macron, resignation" and "Macron, thief".

 

Around 8,000 protesters had converged on the Champs Elysees where police tried to prevent them from reaching the president's Elysee Palace.

 

Police detained 130 people in Paris and in protests in other parts of the country.

 

Protesters are opposed to taxes Macron introduced last year on diesel and petrol which are designed to encourage people to switch to cleaner forms of transport. Alongside the tax, the government has offered incentives to buy electric vehicles.

 

For more than a week, protesters clad in the fluorescent yellow jackets that all motorists in France must have in their cars have blocked highways across the country with burning barricades and convoys of slow-moving trucks, obstructing access to fuel depots, shopping centres and some factories.

 

Interior Minister Christophe Castaner accused far-right leader Marine Le Pen of fanning the protests in the capital.

 

"Ultra-right networks were very mobilised on the Champs Elysees," he said. There were about 20 people injured on the Champs Elysees, according to police.

 

CHALLENGE FOR MACRON

 

Last Saturday nearly 300,000 people took part in the first yellow vest demonstrations countrywide. By early evening on Saturday, more than 106,000 demonstrators were involved in protests across France, according to the ministry.

 

The unrest is a dilemma for Macron who casts himself as a champion against climate change but has been derided as out of touch with common folk and is fighting a slump in popularity.

 

While the movement, which has no leader, began as a backlash against higher fuel prices, it has tapped into broader frustration at the sense of a squeeze on household spending power under Macron's 18-month-old government.

 

Since coming to power, Macron has seen off trade union and street demonstrations against his changes to the labour rules, and overhauled the heavily indebted state rail operator. Foreign investors have largely cheered his pro-business administration.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-11-25

 

 

[lovelomsak]

57 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

"Shame on those who attacked them ... There is no room for this violence in the Republic," Macron said on Twitter.

who are "those and who are "them"? But shame on them anyways.

  I think he is referring to the police attacking the protesters huh.

 

58 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Foreign investors have largely cheered his pro-business administration.

So in reality he is ig business backer not interested in the people no wonder the people are acting up.

[sirineou]

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

Protesters are opposed to taxes Macron introduced last year on diesel and petrol which are designed to encourage people to switch to cleaner forms of transport.

 A tax on diesel is a tax on everything since most everything is transported  by trucks adding an other cost to the means of production that will be passed on to the consumer.

Macron knows that, as to his motives for it  I don't know,  

[Ulic]

I just wonder if it was a revenue-neutral tax with all taxes raised going to subsidies for the French to buy electric vehicles. No taxes are popular but it might be more palatable if the extra tax collected went toward the purchase of electric vehicles and maybe charging stations. You could make it even more palatable by targeting the subsidies toward cheaper electric vehicles for the masses. Not Teslas etc......

Of course, the French protest like it's there job so who knows.

Edited November 25, 2018 by Ulic

[ivor bigun]

He should have sent his "mum" to sort them out

Sent from my SM-A720F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[stevenl]

Macron is trying to move France forward. That means amongst others towards clean energy, financed that are bearable and a more modern pension system where people can not stop working at 55 anymore.

Not very popular but imo very necessary.

[blazes]

Foreign investors have largely cheered his pro-business administration.

 

Same cronies as POTUS, but vast difference in approval ratings!!  What?

41% for Trump; 21% for Macron.  Thereabouts.  

 

Water cannon?  The street weapon of preference for fascist republics in South America.  (Might solve London's own traffic problems though.)

[Foexie]

1 hour ago, blazes said:

Same cronies as POTUS, but vast difference in approval ratings!!  What?

41% for Trump; 21% for Macron.  Thereabouts.  

Maybe those 41% are just sheeps blinded by his smooth talks and deversions from the real things.

 

From what i found online the prices in the US for diesel went up 16% the last year and the price of gas is almost as high as in 2014 and they expect to still go up every month.

 

So if that isn't enough for them to start protesting too what will be needed then?

[Thorgal]

Macron is trying to move France forward. That means amongst others towards clean energy, financed that are bearable and a more modern pension system where people can not stop working at 55 anymore.
Not very popular but imo very necessary.

UK is freezing its petrol prices now for 7 years. No extra taxes.
This choice is up to the government.

The French movement is against ALL high taxes imposed by the government. Not only on diesel.
Also about low pensions, low salaries, etc.

It’s not a “green” movement what most people here think.


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[candide]

9 hours ago, lovelomsak said:

who are "those and who are "them"? But shame on them anyways.

  I think he is referring to the police attacking the protesters huh.

"Those" are the extreme-right groups who take advantage of the protests. The "normal" protesters are not particularly violent and are clearly not happy to see their protests derailled by extremists

[Foexie]

10 hours ago, rooster59 said:

For more than a week, protesters clad in the fluorescent yellow jackets that all motorists in France must have in their cars have blocked highways across the country with burning barricades and convoys of slow-moving trucks, obstructing access to fuel depots, shopping centres and some factories.

First of all they annoy the wrong peoples.

 

Why they need to hurt those who need their cars and trucks for their job? Or why annoy me and block my way to the shopping mall?!

 

Go protest near the office of Macron or every minister and block them for going outside.

 

Secondly i respect those who protest nonviolently but they should act hard against those morons who only wanna fight against the police. destroying stores and more things.

 

In the south of Belgium we also have those idiots. They feel bonded with France so they start to protest here too. And yes we also have groups comming from other places i Belgium just for destroying things and have a war with the police.

 

They can easely been recognised because they all wear things on their heads (scarfs, helmets, mask,...) so they can't be recognised on vdo or pics. And the police hardly do something excepts doing small raids and use teargas and water cannons.

 

They can all easely be arrested because the law here forbits wearing things like burka's or anything what makes it impossible for the police to recognise you in public.

 

And also yesterday there was a person who died because the ambulance was hold up for 15 minutes before they did let them drive on. Nice to tell that to the family!

 

 

[stevenl]

1 hour ago, Thorgal said:

 

UK is freezing its petrol prices now for 7 years. No extra taxes.
This choice is up to the government.

The French movement is against ALL high taxes imposed by the government. Not only on diesel.
Also about low pensions, low salaries, etc.

It’s not a “green” movement what most people here think.


Sent from my iPad using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

 

Yes, they want low taxes, retire at 55, good social security and change from fissile fuels.

 

Not going to work.

 

And 'most people here think...'?

Edited November 25, 2018 by stevenl

[sirineou]

2 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Yes, they want low taxes, retire at 55, good social security and change from fissile fuels.

 

Not going to work.

 

And 'most people here think...'?

 Not as long as 1% control the government.