France's 'yellow vests' clash with police in Paris

[rooster59]

France's 'yellow vests' clash with police in Paris

By Sybille de La Hamaide and Sudip Kar-Gupta

 

Protesters wearing yellow vests walk past burning trash bins during clashes with police at a demonstration during a national day of protest by the "yellow vests" movement in Paris, France, December 8, 2018. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe

 

PARIS (Reuters) - Anti-government protesters faced off with French riot police in Paris on Saturday, hurling projectiles, torching cars and vandalising shops and restaurants in a fourth weekend of unrest that has shaken President Emmanuel Macron's authority.

 

Police used tear gas, water cannon and horses to charge protesters on roads fanning out from the Champs Elysees boulevard, but encountered less violence than a week ago, when the capital witnessed its worst unrest since the 1968 student riots.

 

As night fell and many demonstrators started returning home, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said there had been about 10,000 protesters in Paris by early evening and some 125,000 across the country.

 

Bordeaux, Lyon, Toulouse and other cities also saw major clashes between protesters and police on Saturday.

 

"The situation is now under control," Castaner said at a joint news conference with Prime Minister Edouard Philippe.

 

He said about 120 demonstrators and nearly 20 police officers had been injured nationwide. Nearly 1,000 people had been arrested, 620 of them in Paris, after police found potential weapons such as hammers and baseball bats on them.

 

Philippe said police would remain vigilant through the night as some protesters continued to roam the city.

 

Groups of youths, many of them masked, continued skirmishing with police in the Place de la Republique area as some stores were looted.

 

Named after the fluorescent safety vests that French motorists must carry, the "yellow vest" protests erupted out of nowhere on Nov. 17, when nearly 300,000 demonstrators nationwide took to the streets to denounce high living costs and Macron's liberal economic reforms.

 

Demonstrators say the reforms favour the wealthy and do nothing to help the poor and billed Saturday's protest "Act IV" of their protest after three consecutive Saturdays of rioting.

 

The government this week cancelled a planned rise in taxes on petrol and diesel in a bid to defuse the situation but the protests have morphed into a broader anti-Macron rebellion.

 

"Very sad day & night in Paris," U.S. President Donald Trump said in a Twitter message. "Maybe it's time to end the ridiculous and extremely expensive Paris Agreement and return money back to the people in the form of lower taxes?"

 

SHUTTERED SHOPS

 

The protests are jeopardising a fragile economic recovery in France just as the Christmas holiday season kicks off.

 

Retailers have lost an estimated one billion euros in revenue since the protests erupted and shares in tourism-related shares saw their worst week in months. [nL8N1YC18R]

 

Swathes of Paris' affluent Right Bank north of the Seine river were locked down on Saturday, with luxury boutiques boarded up, department stores closed and restaurants and cafes shuttered. The Louvre, Eiffel Tower and the Paris Opera were also closed.

 

Demonstrators left a trail of destruction on Paris streets, with bank and insurance company offices' windows smashed, cars and scooters set on fire and street furniture vandalised.

 

On the smashed front of one Starbucks cafe, vandals scrawled: "No fiscal justice, no social justice."

 

The government had warned that far-right, anarchist and anticapitalist groups would likely infiltrate protests and many of the skirmishes saw police tackling gangs of hooded youths, some of them covering their faces with masks.

 

"It feels like order is being better maintained this week," Jean-Francois Barnaba, one of the yellow vests' unofficial spokesmen, told Reuters.

 

"Last week the police were tear-gassing us indiscriminately. This time their actions are more targeted," he added.

 

MACRON U-TURN

 

The government this week offered concessions to soothe public anger, including scrapping next year's planned hikes to fuel taxes in the first major U-turn of Macron's presidency. It will cost the Treasury 4 billion euros ($4.5 billion). [nL8N1Y919Y]

 

But protesters want Macron to go further to help hard-pressed households, including an increase to the minimum wage, lower taxes, higher salaries, cheaper energy, better retirement benefits and even Macron's resignation.

 

"We want equality, we want to live, not survive," said demonstrator Guillaume Le Grac, 28, who works in a slaughterhouse in Britanny.

 

Macron is expected to address the nation early next week to possibly further soften planned reforms and tax increases. [nL8N1YC0UD]

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-12-09

[stevenl]

Protests are fine, as happens all too often unsavoury elements take over.

[bert bloggs]

looks like the protests are now starting in other E.U countrys , hope it will be the death of the E.U gravy train for the likes of Junker ,but doubt it .

[welovesundaysatspace]

20 minutes ago, bert bloggs said:

looks like the protests are now starting in other E.U countrys , hope it will be the death of the E.U gravy train for the likes of Junker ,but doubt it .

Comments like this show that Brexiteers and EU critics cannot be taken seriously, as those protest have nothing to do with the EU but people protesting against all sorts of different things that are not controlled by the EU (some not even by France). One day it’s the EU having “too much control”; next day it’s the EU’s fault when France’s petrol tax is too high. You’re just looking for a scapegoat for your miserable lifes. 

 

And, as you correctly “doubt it”, it will not be the end of the EU, of course. Let the police deal with some 40,000 protesters and a couple of hooligans. 

Edited December 9, 2018 by welovesundaysatspace

[mfd101]

Interesting how everyone - well, most people with half a brain - are in favour of 'doing something' about climate change, but almost noone is willing to make any sacrifices or change their life choices for that purpose.

[vogie]

I think it is totally absurb to call the protesters hooligans when most are decent honest French citizens who sick to death of Macron. Remember democracy didn't suddenly stop when he was elected.????

 

 

[welovesundaysatspace]

4 minutes ago, vogie said:

I think it is totally absurb to call the protesters hooligans when most are decent honest French citizens who sick to death of Macron. Remember democracy didn't suddenly stop when he was elected.????

 

 

Calling people who burn cars and destroy shops hooligans you find absurd? Because we should rather call them terrorists or because your moral compass doesn’t work? 

[vogie]

1 minute ago, welovesundaysatspace said:

Calling people who burn cars and destroy shops hooligans you find absurd? Because we should rather call them terrorists or because your moral compass doesn’t work? 

I said "most" but you knew that anyway. Some of us are not programmed to go into defence mode when someone critisizes the House of Cards known as the EU. 

[Topdoc]

Emissions free vehicles will need to be powered predominantly by low carbon electricity (i.e. not from coal) for the 'electric future' to be a sustainable one.  Governments can't simply jack up the price of diesel and expect people to accept it, especially in this moribund economy.

[welovesundaysatspace]

7 minutes ago, vogie said:

I said "most" but you knew that anyway.

I wrote “a couple of” but you knew that anyway. 

Quote

Some of us are not programmed to go into defence mode when someone critisizes the House of Cards known as the EU. 

Unfortunately, some of “you” are programmed to go into blame the EU mode whenever somewhere in the world someone hurts his little toe. 

Edited December 9, 2018 by welovesundaysatspace

[vogie]

4 minutes ago, welovesundaysatspace said:

I wrote “a couple of” but you knew that anyway. 

Unfortunately, some of “you” are programmed to go into blame the EU mode whenever somewhere in the world someone hurts his little toe. 

Where did you write "a couple of"

 

Your last paragraph, why are you deflecting?

[overherebc]

The cars and motorbikes/scooter they burn I don't understand in any way.

Probably bought by people who need to get to work and home every day. Why are they 'punishing' them?

They are not demonstrating, they are just there to indulge their need for violence and destruction.

[welovesundaysatspace]

5 minutes ago, vogie said:

Where did you write "a couple of"

Next time read a user’s post completely. 

 

5 minutes ago, vogie said:

Your last paragraph, why are you deflecting?

I wasn’t. You are. 

[Ulic]

For me, there are two groups. The professional protestors France is famous for and the looters who tag along looking for an opportunity to get something for nothing. By all means, exercise your right to protest but there is no need to destroy peoples property, burning cars and looting shops.

[marqus12]

some people say that this riot in France is a CIA job
after makron said that the EU needs its own army

to defend against US 

[welovesundaysatspace]

25 minutes ago, marqus12 said:

some people say that this riot in France is a CIA job
after makron said that the EU needs its own army

to defend against US 

Truth is, it’s the Marsians. They’re finally coming. They conspire with the Chinese and Russians. 

[RichardColeman]

Don't get it. Why burn things, riot and loot when you could just all sit down peacefully and bring France to a standstill - lorrydrivers seem good at it. Oh, yeah, forgot. It's xmas soon and better stock up. 

[marqus12]

11 minutes ago, welovesundaysatspace said:

Truth is, it’s the Marsians. They’re finally coming. They conspire with the Chinese and Russians. 

You take Marsians ... I will stay with the CIA.

[sammieuk1]

Did this have anything to do with the Kaiser chiefs and the bone head from Liverpool appearing on the X factor last week????

[vogie]

2 hours ago, welovesundaysatspace said:

Next time read a user’s post completely. 

 

I wasn’t. You are. 

I have read your post, nowhere can I find where you said "a couple of" please show me where you said it.

[welovesundaysatspace]

15 minutes ago, vogie said:

I have read your post, nowhere can I find where you said "a couple of" please show me where you said it.

Im not sure how I can show it. It’s there already, where it was before. Go to the first page of this thread, look for my posts. What else do you need? 

Edited December 9, 2018 by welovesundaysatspace

[stevenl]

38 minutes ago, vogie said:

I have read your post, nowhere can I find where you said "a couple of" please show me where you said it.

I'll help you: " And, as you correctly “doubt it”, it will not be the end of the EU, of course. Let the police deal with some 40,000 protesters and a couple of hooligans.  ".

[vogie]

45 minutes ago, welovesundaysatspace said:

Im not sure how I can show it. It’s there already, where it was before. Go to the first page of this thread, look for my posts. What else do you need? 

As we keep getting told, 'you said it, you own it' if you can't show me where you said it, what am I to conclude.

I have looked at the first pages, you didn't say it.

[welovesundaysatspace]

5 minutes ago, vogie said:

As we keep getting told, 'you said it, you own it' if you can't show me where you said it, what am I to conclude.

I have looked at the first pages, you didn't say it.

I can’t help you with your illiteracy. You could visit a school. I’ve heard they help you with that. 

[llz]

2 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Don't get it. Why burn things, riot and loot when you could just all sit down peacefully and bring France to a standstill - lorrydrivers seem good at it. Oh, yeah, forgot. It's xmas soon and better stock up. 

Those who riot and loot are NOT those who protest (with probably some exceptions). Some come from ultra-right or ultra-left groups. Most come frome the suburbs pouring out their hatred towards the country which was fool enough to welcome them or their parents,

[Credo]

8 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Don't get it. Why burn things, riot and loot when you could just all sit down peacefully and bring France to a standstill - lorrydrivers seem good at it. Oh, yeah, forgot. It's xmas soon and better stock up. 

Events like these are not driven by reason.   They are driven by emotion.   They bring out all kinds of people and there is no order.   Humans don't do well when the social fabric is disrupted and in protests, it is almost always disrupted.   

[richard_smith237]

A protest is one thing and I'm in full support of people being able to freely voice their opinions, and with enough voice a protest can be mounted. 

 

However, as night time fell the peaceful protestors went home and hooligans took over. These hooligans had no political agenda, they weren't protesting they were just opportunistic violent scum choosing to riot at an opportune moment where they may have gotten away with it... I sam then attack vehicles, people in vehicles, they attacked passing police cars and policemen in those cars they had smoke bombs and teargas... They were nothing more than hooligans...  What developed was not a protest, it was a riot....

[Prissana Pescud]

There are other forums on this topic. Most of the supporters of what has happened/happening are silent now.

They have run away from this forum because they are starting to realise the total cost of the riots. 1.5 billion Euros and rapidly climbing.

Not to mention all of the ordinary people that lost their small business, had cars burned, had their way blocked to go to work. 

This was not a protest, it was anarchy, looting, destruction and mayhem. That over 80% of the French supported so we are informed.

So lots of tourists will visit France now?

People will love to go to a restaurant to watch the petrol bombs explode?

Lots of people admire the French system of political protest?

France was an economic basket case before this rubbish. It is now an even bigger load of rubbish. But, hey, the EU will solve their problems.

And EU will also bail out the debt of Greece, Italy, Portugal, all of eastern Europe. Oui? 

EU and France et al is a very sad joke.

[Prissana Pescud]

14 hours ago, marqus12 said:

some people say that this riot in France is a CIA job
after makron said that the EU needs its own army

to defend against US 

Not sure where you get that information from. The CIA needed to do nothing to destabilise your country. Your anarchists and right wing bullies did it for them.

Stop trying to lay blame at another country. Face up to the facts, real facts.

France is a basket case, French looters have added another 2 billion Euros of debt to the country.

The French 80% of people have spoken to supported looters, better to lay your own country to waste than face up to economic reality - you have overspent yourselves out, so if I go down, the whole country has to come with me. Pathetic. But hey, just shrug your shoulders and blame someone else. Typical French. 

[bert bloggs]

On 12/9/2018 at 10:07 AM, welovesundaysatspace said:

Comments like this show that Brexiteers and EU critics cannot be taken seriously, as those protest have nothing to do with the EU but people protesting against all sorts of different things that are not controlled by the EU (some not even by France). One day it’s the EU having “too much control”; next day it’s the EU’s fault when France’s petrol tax is too high. You’re just looking for a scapegoat for your miserable lifes. 

 

And, as you correctly “doubt it”, it will not be the end of the EU, of course. Let the police deal with some 40,000 protesters and a couple of hooligans. 

dream on ,are you one of the spongers that works for the E.U shopping in their tax free stores , earning their fantastic wages ,paid for by the people , your days are numbered .