Macron faces heat as protests grip France

has already offered protesters a string of concessions, including scrapping further rises in fuel taxes-a major climbdown for a president who had vowed not to be swayed, like his predecessors, by mass protests. So far he has refused to back down on another policy hated by the “yellow vests”: his decision to scrap a “fortune tax” on the wealthiest. Far-right leader Marine Le Pen-who is backed by some protesters from “forgotten” provincial France, but by no means all-called for Macron to “recognize society’s suffering and deliver immediate, very strong responses”.

Russian propaganda accounts?

The movement has spread beyond France’s borders, with around 400 arrested at a “yellow vest” event in Brussels on Saturday and peaceful demonstrations taking place in Dutch towns. In France, authorities have also launched an investigation into social media activity from accounts allegedly drumming up support for the protests, sources said. According to Britain’s Times newspaper, hundreds of online accounts linked to Russia were used to stoke the demonstrations.

Citing analysis by New Knowledge, a cybersecurity company, the Times said the accounts spread disinformation and used pictures of injured protesters from other events to enhance a narrative of brutality by French authorities. — AFP