Fearing 'Act IV' of unrest, France to close Eiffel Tower, Louvre, at weekend

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Fearing 'Act IV' of unrest, France to close Eiffel Tower, Louvre, at weekend

By Richard Lough and Marine Pennetier

 

Protesters wearing yellow vests, the symbol of a French drivers' protest against higher diesel fuel prices, occupy a roundabout in Cissac-Medoc, France, December 5, 2018. The slogan reads "Urgent, purchase power, dignity for all". REUTERS/Regis Duvignau

 

PARIS (Reuters) - France will close the Eiffel Tower and other tourism landmarks in Paris and draft in thousands more security forces on Saturday to stave off another wave of violent protests in the country over living costs.

 

With protesters from the "yellow vest" movement calling on social media for "Act IV" - a fourth weekend of protest - Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said 89,000 police nationwide would be deployed to stop a repeat of last Saturday's mayhem across France.

 

About 8,000 of these would be deployed in Paris where rioters torched cars and looted shops off the famed Champs Elysees boulevard, and defaced the Arc de Triomphe with graffiti directed at President Emmanuel Macron.

 

Seeking to regain the initiative after weeks of civil unrest, the government appeared ready to offer concessions.

 

Philippe told the Senate he was open to new measures to help the lowest-paid workers while Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said he was prepared to accelerate tax cuts for households and that he wanted workers' bonuses to be tax-free.

 

"I am ready to look at all measures that will help raise the pay of those on the minimum wage without doing excessive damage to our competitiveness and businesses," Philippe told the parliament's upper house.

 

The rush of sweeteners to soothe public anger began with Philippe's climb-down on fuel tax hikes, the first major U-turn of Macron's presidency.

 

Yet, five days after the worst rioting central Paris has seen since 1968, all signs are that the government has failed to quell the revolt.

 

A repeat of last Saturday's violence in Paris's city centre would deal a blow to the economy and raise doubts over the government's survival.

 

MAINTAINING ORDER

Philippe said the state would do all it could to maintain order. Six first division football matches have been cancelled.

 

Authorities in Paris ordered dozens of museums, tourism sites, shops and restaurants to close on Saturday, including the Eiffel Tower and Louvre.

 

Local officials in 15 areas around the capital were also asked to remove anything in the streets that could be used as projectiles.

 

"We are facing people who are not here to protest, but to smash and we want to have the means to not give them a free rein," Philippe told TF1 television's evening news programme.

 

As well as increased police numbers, twelve armoured vehicles belonging to the gendarmerie would be used, the first time in a French city since 2005 when riots broke out in the capital's suburbs.

 

There is concern about far-right, anarchist and anti-capitalist groups like the Black Bloc, which have piggybacked off the 'yellow vest' movement.

 

The government is also considering using troops currently deployed on anti-terrorism patrols to protect public buildings.

 

Other towns across the country, including Bordeaux, ordered pre-emptive measures over concerns that protesters may opt to rally regionally rather than face tightened security in Paris.

 

On Facebook and across social media, protesters called for "Act IV".

 

"France is fed up!! We will be there in bigger numbers, stronger, standing up for French people. Meet in Paris on Dec. 8," read one group's banner.

 

CONCESSIONS

The protests, named after the fluorescent safety jackets French motorists have to keep in their cars, erupted in November over the squeeze on household budgets caused by fuel taxes. Demonstrations swiftly grew into a broad, sometimes-violent rebellion against Macron, with no formal leader.

 

Their demands are diverse and include lower taxes, higher salaries, cheaper energy costs, better retirement provisions and even Macron's resignation.

 

Reversing course on next year's fuel-tax hikes have left a gaping 4 billion euro hole in the government's 2019 budget which it is now searching for ways to plug.

 

Citing unnamed sources, Les Echos business daily said the government was considering delaying corporate tax easing planned next year or putting off an increase in the minimum wage.

 

The unrest has exposed the deep-seated resentment among non-city dwellers that Macron, whose popularity is now at about 20 percent, is out-of-touch with the hard-pressed middle class and blue-collar workers. They see the 40-year-old former investment banker as closer to big business.

 

Trouble is also brewing elsewhere for Macron. Teenage students on Thursday blocked access to more than 200 high schools across the country and clashed with security forces. About 700 students were arrested, French media reported.

 

Farmers and truckers are also threatening blockages and strikes from Sunday.

 

(Additional reporting by John Irish, Caroline Paillez, Leigh Thomas, Michel Rose, Emmanuel Jarry and Myriam Rivet; Editing by Richard Balmforth)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-12-07

[Ulic]

Professional protestors join forces with smash and grad artists. We want more, and we want someone else to pay for it. We will see what comes to pass.

[Burma Bill]

The "Emperor" is getting panicky and desperate!

[Opl]

I continue to be among the 23% who do not support this movement. There is no plan B to Macron.

[Thingamabob]

France in big trouble.

[janclaes47]

33 minutes ago, Thingamabob said:

France in big trouble.

Trouble in France

Trouble in Belgium

Trouble in UK

Trouble in Italy

 

You ain't seen nothing yet

[Nilats]

Are they afraid of 1789 all over again?... Protests over food shortages was how it all started back then.

[wabothai]

2 hours ago, janclaes47 said:

Trouble in France

Trouble in Belgium

Trouble in UK

Trouble in Italy

 

You ain't seen nothing yet

European 'spring' is showing its ugly head.

[Opl]

[Prissana Pescud]

8 hours ago, janclaes47 said:

Trouble in France

Trouble in Belgium

Trouble in UK

Trouble in Italy

 

You ain't seen nothing yet

Except in Britain, they are not throwing petrol bombs. (petrol must be cheap if you can afford to do that), causing anarchy and mayhem.

The protests in Britain are civil and all the action is taking place in parliament, where it should be.

In fact it is now shown that most of the riots have been caused by anarchists and right wing nazi types.

The French people are such a proud race to let these morons control the protests and you must feel very proud to support them as well.

UK is not France, it has shown that it is far more democratic (because that is what is happening there) and civilised. (Using the term "civil")

As for Belgium, the home of the EU. This organisation is the real reason that Europe is in such a mess now.

Britain should exit the EU mess and leave thugs, right wing morons and anachists to do what what 83% of French people want. Mayhem.

[impulse]

15 minutes ago, Prissana Pescud said:

The protests in Britain are civil and all the action is taking place in parliament, where it should be.

 

Unless, of course, Parliament is owned by 1% of the population that control something like 50% of a nation's wealth- leaving only scraps for the other 99%.

 

One thing I've always admired about the French is that the government fears the people, instead of the other way around.  That's how it should be.

 

Unfortunately, that requires occasionally giving 'em something to be afraid of...   Freedom from government tyranny comes at a cost.   Just glad it's not the guillotine. 

 

Yet.

 

Edited December 7, 2018 by impulse

[Prissana Pescud]

3 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

Unless, of course, Parliament is owned by 1% of the population that control something like 50% of a nation's wealth- leaving only scraps for the other 99%.

 

One thing I've always admired about the French is that the government fears the people, instead of the other way around.  That's how it should be.

 

I am so glad you admire the French and what is happening there and suggest that what is happening to France is what everyone should do.

That assertion in itself suggests you are an anachist supporter. Anarchy is part of what the French public deficit is all about. Over 4 billion euros and rapidly climbing, all because the politicians are afraid of the people. They would only be truly afraid if they were voted out, but hey, who wants to vote and most of the people rioting either are not eligible or can't be bothered.

 If the parliament of Britain is owned by all the wealthy, that is the fault of all the people that voted them in. It is not the fault of parliament. 

[janclaes47]

4 hours ago, Prissana Pescud said:

who wants to vote and most of the people rioting either are not eligible

 

Finally your eyes start to open, now just engage brain, and you know where the rteal problem lays.

 

Why aren't they eligible you think?

 

 

[Prissana Pescud]

18 minutes ago, janclaes47 said:

 

Finally your eyes start to open, now just engage brain, and you know where the rteal problem lays.

 

Why aren't they eligible you think?

 

 

Everyone knows why they are not eligible to vote, but illegal migration is something that France, the EU, and UN allows and welcomes and is the subject of another forum.

We are talking about open rioting that most of the French population supports. Around 80% apparently.

The problem here is not the illegal immigrants, France should have sorted that out decades ago. The problem is the basic French mindset.

Anarchy is inbuilt into the mindset. Now we know that the "leaders" of the mayhem are French Nationalists (read neo nazi types) and anarchists.

And of course the leaders do not want to "talk" to anyone in the government, they just love to riot. (that is their mantra and agenda)

And they would probably belong in the political arena of a French politician who had a father who was a nazi collaborator during the last big war

and who only just lost the last national vote by a minimum. 

My brain has been engaged from the start, I believe if we look at your posts, you have constantly defended the mass violence, vandalism, 

pyromaniacs, thugs, looters and extremists - whether they were illegal migrants or not.